Opportunities
by Sa-kun
Summary: Life is full of opportunities, you just have to reach out for them. Who knows where they might land you? KaRe, YuBo, mpreg.
1. Yarn

**Opportunities.**

Disclaimer: Don't own.

Well, it's my first multi-chaptered fic, so it's rather experimental, in my eyes at least. It's not a terribly serious story, and it's circulating around the lives of Kai and Rei, with Yuriy and Boris as visitors.

Warnings: Yaoi, and mpreg to come. KaRe, YuBo. Lovely I'd say. You? No idea, but well. They're _perfect_.

Chapter 1 - Yarn.

* * *

_31/3 2001, late morning._

"Rei! Re-ei!" Mao stepped out of the house, her shrill shrieking sounding again. "Rei!" She sniffed at still not receiving an answer from the man she considered as 'hers'.

"Mao?" She startled, turning around. "Hiromi! Have you seen my Rei? He ran off, and I think he may have accidentally taken my ball of yarn!"

"No, sorry. He may be with Kai though, he normally is. I was looking for him. What do you need the yarn for?" Mao wrinkled her nose in distaste, but kept quiet, knowing that her friend was rather smitten with him.

"I'm knitting my Rei-Rei a scarf so he won't catch a cold."

"That's so sweet of you! I'm sure he'll love it!"

"You think so?"

"Absolutely!" The brown haired girl smiled encouragingly before walking away, "Thank you!" Hiromi waved, disappearing inside the house. Mao stood, looking over the garden, before shrugging and turned to walk inside as well.

Breathing out a sigh of relief, the figure perched in the tree cautiously climbed down, and after making sure no one was watching, he swiftly scaled the wall, using the drainpipe as support, and jumped in through the open window to his room.

* * *

_Same day, around noon._

Rei hissed, clawing at the yarn frustrated. "Grr! Stupid girl." The ball rolled away, slipping under one of the beds, Rei tore after it, meowing and hissing, trying to catch it with his hands and claws.

"Bloody pest, leave me alone!" Pawing at the yarn it rolled out in the open again, Rei hot at its loose end. He backed up slightly, crouching, and attacked the ball dead on. "Meow!" Nipping at it, he dared it to move, roll, anything. Rei stared it out. Still it didn't move. He hesitantly nudged it, making the ball roll and the neko-jin jumped the defenceless yarn once again.

"Mrow!" Preparing for another death strike, he launched himself at the yarn and landed in front of a pair of shoes, "Mow?" His eyes soon lit up upon sighting the shoelaces. Poking at them hesitantly, he dared them much in the same manner he'd dared the ball of yarn to move earlier. However, these shoelaces were rather dead, and more importantly, they were attached to the shoes of one Kai Hiwatari, currently wearing the attacked shoes.

"Rei! What are you doing?"

Rei blanched, startled. "K-Kai? I, I, uh, didn't hear you come in…I was, uh…yeah…"

"You were?" Raising his left eyebrow, smirking, Kai waited for an explanation. "Just- nothing. Heh." Smiling sheepishly, Rei scratched his neck, embarrassed.

"You weren't playing with this then?" Kai smirked roguishly, tossing the very same ball of yarn; the yarn Rei had spent the last fifteen minutes chasing. Up and down in the air with his hand.

Rei stared at the yarn, transfixed, his eyes following its every movement. "No…"

"No?" The dual toned Russian looked amused, and then _accidentally_ threw the ball a bit too high.

Rei went after it like clockwork.

Kai rolled his eyes,_ bloody cats_. He watched Rei going after the yarn for a few minutes, before he intervened and grabbed it as it rolled by his feet. However, Rei was no longer frustrated and venting his anger on the yarn, he was in a more playful mood and naturally went after Kai the minute he grabbed the yarn. "Mow!"

"Kitty-cat!" Hissing and growling playfully, Rei went after Kai's hands, trying to get him to release the yarn. "Want this, do you?" Rei nodded, "Well, I have it now." Teasingly he threw it between his hands, always holding it just outside of Rei's reach.

"Mine!" The golden eyes narrowed, whining, he tried to plead, tried to convey the importance of the yarn to Kai.

"Uh-uh!" Kai tsked, waving his index finger back and fro in the air. "Please?" Rei shuffled closer, widening his eyes to make them bigger, more innocent, "Kai?" He added a slight tremor to his voice, he even gave of a low purring. Unfortunately, it was all for nothing, Kai beat him at his own game, having known Rei for far too long, he didn't fall for that particularly trick anymore. "But Rei…" Mocking him, Kai pouted.

Narrowing his eyes once more, Rei attacked Kai, attempting to wrestle the very much desired yarn out of Kai's grasp, and failing miserably. Soon enough, mostly due to Kai's larger and more muscular frame, Rei was pinned underneath Kai. Hissing and bearing his teeth, Rei tried to bite his captain. "Didn't your mother tell you it was rude to bite, kitten?"

"No." Raising his head as much as he could, Rei licked Kai's nose. "So there!"

The door to their room suddenly slammed open, and a smug redheaded Russian walked in followed by an annoyed looking Boris. "Kai! There you are, me and-" Yuriy raised his eyebrows, more than a little bewildered. "What are you doing! Well, Rei, I can see that but-"

"Ivanov." Gritting his teeth, Kai snapped at the rambling teen. "Yes?" Seemingly the epitome of innocence, Yuriy grinned. "Shut-up."

"Why would I do that, Kai dearest? You know how much you love me, really." The taller Russian swooned, batting his eyelashes playfully.

"Yuriy, that's enough. Kitty, Kai. I won't even bother asking." Placing a hand on Yuriy's shoulder, the older Russian restrained his captain.

Snorting, Kai shook his head before averting his attention to the neko-jin he was still straddling, raising an eyebrow.

Rei smiled sweetly, and gently wiped Kai's nose.

"Hn." Looking amused, Kai rose, offering a hand, which Rei gladly accepted and was hauled back on his feet in less then a second. "I'm still keeping this though." Kai said, pocketing the yarn.

Grumbling, Rei crossed his arms. "And don't bother trying to steal it."

"But Kai!"

Frowning, Kai wondered what exactly was so important about the yarn. "I'll give it to you later, hm? At the moment I believe our friends wanted something…?" He said, turning towards the Russians in the doorway.

Startled, the redhead looked up from his and Boris' whispered conversation. "Yes. Anyway, uh, Boris? What did we want?"

"Stupid," The tall, lavender haired guy muttered affectionately, "Star-"

"Yes! We're going to a circus!" Yuriy exclaimed excitedly.

"No." Kai glared at Yuriy, not particularly impressed.

"Yes, we are. We got free tickets, Kai, we have to go!" Yuriy pulled slightly at Kai's scarf. "Hn."

Smirking, Yuriy twirled the white material between his fingers. "It's either that or you're stuck with Mao and Hiromi all, night, long…" Kai's eyes widened ever so slightly at the prospect of having to spend time with two, annoying, giggling _girls_. "Fine, when?"

"Yay! I knew you'd give in!" Yuriy exclaimed, jumping his best friend for a hug and kissed him square on the mouth. Rolling his eyes, Kai broke away and hugged his nutcase of a friend back briefly before pushing him away.

Boris raised his left eyebrow, drawing attention towards the small silver stud adorning it, but didn't comment on the display of affection. "Tonight at six, gives the two of you sometime to work out your, catfight." Turning he led himself and Yuriy out.

"Can I please have my yarn back now? Please?" Deciding also not to mention what passed between the two Russians, Rei asked, more like begged, for his precious yarn to be returned.

Kai turned, smirking at Rei, "Why do you want it so much?"

"It's a stress reliever…sort of…" Kai raised an eyebrow, in a 'You don't say?' sort of way. "Mao?"

Rei bristled. "That stupid, silly, annoying brat! She just won't leave me alone, I know she's got a crush on me or whatever, but why can't she get it! I'm not interested, never have been and never will be! Ever!"

Chuckling, Kai sat down on the floor, leaning on his bed. "Girls are stupid."

"Yes!"

"Annoying." Smirking, Kai added another attribute concerning women.

"Without a doubt!" The word alone made Rei wince. Annoying. Without a fault that word led him to thoughts about Mao, Mao and her _molestations_.

"Too curvy." Shuddering, Rei once again thought of how that pink thing insisted upon pressing herself against him. "Oh yes."

Cocking his head slightly, Kai narrowed his eyes. _I wonder…_daringly Kai spoke up yet again. "Ugly, repulsive. Unnecessary?"

"Yes! They are, I just don't see the point with…them…" Eyes widening, Rei realised belatedly what he'd said, how he'd said it and who he'd said it to.

A too smug looking Kai smirked. "Rei, Rei, Rei…" Kai shook his head, amused. "You don't much like women, do you?" Rei looked at the floor dejectedly, feeling ashamed and scared, _who wouldn't? This -is- a homophobe nest…_"No."

Kai nodded, and rose from the floor, that same annoying smirk present, mocking him. "That's what I thought. Now, is there anything you want to tell me, Rei?" Rei promptly blushed. "Ah, uhm…Kai?"

"Yes, Rei?" Leaning in ever so slightly, Kai waited, almost gleefully, for Rei's confession.

Rei's heart beat furiously against his ribcage, then the hesitant confession came in a frightened whispered. "I-I'm gay." Kai grinned, _score!_

"Hn. I thought so."

Rei's head snapped up. "Wha-! Kai, you knew! _You knew_! How?" Voice rising, Rei stared at his captain, disbelief and fear written all over his face. Sighing, Kai shrugged and patted his friend's shoulder. "Takes one to know one." Rei had worked it out almost before Kai closed his mouth, and lunged at him, hiding his head in Kai's chest, shaking. "Rei?" Clenching his fists, Rei hammered them against Kai's chest. "Shut up, Kai, just be quiet." Puzzled, he held Rei until the shaking stopped. "God, I was so scared Kai, I was so scared…I never told anyone, and, and then…you-! I, oh god…what if…I thought you'd hate me or throw me out of the team…I was just so scared…"

"Rei…why would I do that? Even if I wasn't gay, I'm still your friend…I wouldn't just abandon you."

"…I don't know…but I _didn't know_! You never said anything, good or bad, you never made Takao shut up when droned on and on about how sick and freakish it was, is…I just didn't know what to, what to expect." Rei rambled, ignoring the second half of Kai's words. His voice was muffled and he talked almost too fast for Kai to catch it, and he worked it out just seconds before the door unexpectedly slammed open again.

"By the way, Kai-" Yuriy sighed exasperatedly, "Again! Man! What are the odds?"

"Ivanov. It's called comfort. A hug, ever heard of it?" Kai said, stepping back slightly, but he kept an arm around Rei, still offering whatever comfort he could to the clearly distressed neko-jin, who had snuggled up to him, hiding his face in the crook of his neck.

"Yes, yes, I know. You throw out hugs to left and right. Always such a big teddy bear." Yuriy muttered, trying to remember why he was there again and glancing weirdly at Rei. "Why _am_ I here again?" Snapping his fingers in remembrance, Yuriy beamed happily at Kai. "Oh yes, I wanna go to a nightclub! But Borya's being a meanie and won't let me go alone with him…" Yuriy tugged at Kai's scarf again, and trailed off, staring with wide innocent, pleading eyes at Kai.

"Your point?" Lowering his ice blue eyes to the floor, pretending to be shy, the redhead spoke softly. "If you come with us, it's alright, so I thought we could go to Obsidian after-"

Rei cut in, having raised his head from Kai's neck, but was still wrapped in one of his arms, looking bewildered and confused, "Obsidian? Isn't that a _gay_ place?" He narrowed his eyes at Yuriy.

"Ah, yes. That's right, and-" Yuriy's eyes widened, his thoughts jumbling together. _Shit, I thought-_

"What's it to you?" A cold voice broke in, cutting off Yuriy's rambling. Standing in front of Yuriy, protectively, Boris crossed his arms and glared menacingly at Rei.

"Boris-kun? I, uh, Kai?" Confused, Rei looked to Kai for help. Sighing softly, he bent down slightly to whisper something in Rei's ear, making the golden eyes widen in surprise and dart between Yuriy and Boris. "Oh. _Oh!_ I never knew! That's wonderful!" Boris instantly relaxed and uncrossed his arms, only to have a certain Russian snuggling up to him, forcing the lavender eyed Russian to raise his arms once more in order to hold his boyfriend from behind. "You think so?" Yuriy smiled softly, both his and his lover's eyes shining happily at Rei's more than accepting reaction.

"Yes." Rei nodded gleefully. "Can I come out too? I mean, uh…" The three Russians snickered, making Rei roll his eyes. "Ha ha. I meant can I go out too? With you?"

"Rei? Have you ever been out? I mean, out _out_." Yuriy inquired, uncertain whether or not Rei was accustomed to the heavy music and thick, smoky air clubs tended to have. Sensitive hearing, being raised in a village stuck in the dark ages and all that in consideration.

"Not gay out, no…but I've been to nightclubs." Nodding, Rei closed the door, feeling rather confident about the reactions of the fellow 'bladers residing in the house, were they to accidentally walk by and notice the couple's position. Rei was fairly sure it was not going to be as positive and accepting as his had been; Mao was incredibly hateful towards anything _freakish_, i.e Russians.

"Ah…" Yuriy said pondering. "Looking the way you do, you'll probably have half the guy's trying to get into your pants, I suppose it's a good thing you're not homophobic." He saw Rei open his mouth to protest, and quickly added. "And before you protest, yes, you are attractive." He let his eyes wander up and down Rei's body slowly, whistling softly. "Very attractive." Making Boris sigh, "And you are very much taken, Yuriy, so stop checking other boys out. Pervert."

"I know that." Smiling, Yuriy kissed Boris' cheek.

Rei grumbled, "I'm not." Kai chuckled, "Beautiful, then. And, Yuriy, I don't think he'd mind." Watching Rei blush, Yuriy narrowed his eyes, _so Kai finally broke through_…"Right, Rei-chan?" Rei grumbled some more, ignoring Kai. "Come on, it gets easier every time." Looking into Kai's eyes, he nodded slowly, "Thank you…I, uh, you don't look too bad your self, either of you, and I'm gay."

"Pay up." Boris held out his hand, looking rather smug.

Yuriy sniffed, "Hn. You'll just have to pay back later, when I win _that_ bet." Handing over a couple of notes, he glared playfully at Rei, "And you just couldn't wait coming out another week or so?"

Laughing, Rei shook his head, "Sorry, Kai tricked me. Besides, I was about to go mad…"

Nodding understandingly, he smiled, "I know what you mean, and I'm happy for you. Are you eighteen yet?"

"We're celebrating my nineteenth on the last of April, Yuriy." Rei mock glared at the eccentric Russian. "_You_ are invited."

"Oh right, I keep forgetting. Good, then we won't have to bribe anyone to get anywhere."

* * *

_Afternoon._

It was a couple of hours later when Rei was drying his hair in his and Kai's shared room that it finally hit him. "I can't believe they placed a bet on my sexuality!"

Kai snickered and looked up from where he was styling his hair, "Actually, they already knew about the sexuality, it was the coming out and admitting it part the bet was on." Smiling softly at Rei he added as an afterthought, "I declined."

"You knew? Again! What is it with you Russians knowing every ones business?" Still snickering, Kai grabbed a brush and started to brush the neko-jin's hair. "I'm your captain, Rei. I'm supposed to know everything. Besides, you talk in your sleep, and you stare at all the pretty boys. It was hard not to notice." Rei gazed panic stricken at him in the mirror. "They haven't noticed Rei. I only noticed because I knew what to look for; Yuriy and Boris noticed much in the same way and we came to the same conclusion. Rei Kon equals closet-case. Gay, and in the need of some assistance…or so Yuriy put it…

"You see, every time you'd go all breathless and sighing, _every time_, without a fault, there was always a guy or two nearby." Rei blushed, no doubt remembering all the occasions Kai was referring to, as well as a couple of others…"Then of course, there was the time Yuriy-"

"Kai!" The Russian grinned mischievously, "That shirt was see-through, and…damn you! Just because you said that I can't get it out of my head!" And now he was snickering again, running his pale fingers through Rei's long, raven coloured hair. Bending forwards, Kai whispered in a slightly pointed ear, "But Rei, I thought you liked the picture of a wet, soaked Yuriy…it sure…seemed like it." Rei sighed breathlessly.

"Kai…I, uh…it was pretty, eh, hot. Yeah…could you?" Rei stammered.

"Could I what?" Kai asked, even though he knew what Rei wanted him to do.

"Braid my hair? Pretty please?" Shaking his head, amused, Kai started the long task of braiding Rei's four or so feet worth of hair. Counting silently to ten, he smirked. Rei started to purr, the soft rumbling vibrating through the air before it gained strength and volume.

The door swung open, silently this time, and Yuriy poked his head in, "Kai-! What's-? Rei purrs?" Kai nodded, "Ah. Anyway, do you think you'll be ready in half an hour?" Another nod, "Good, see you out front then." And Yuriy stepped back out, closing the door silently.

* * *

_Early night._

"Did you enjoy it, Rei? I liked the twins."

"The rope tricks?" Yuriy nodded, "Mm, they were cool. Altogether, it was really nice." Then again, being all snuggled up to Kai had its advantages. "I'll bet. Looked rather cosy from where I was sitting."

"It was cold." Rei defended himself, he _had_ been cold. "Sure it was." The sarcastic redhead leered suggestively at him. Rei sniffed, then shivered. "I'm from China; it's actually w-warm there, not like a blizzard or something l-like here."

"_Right._" Yuriy was still leering, not buying a single word the neko-jin was saying. Although, the leering could also be because Boris was stretching; having to sit down for three hours didn't sit well with him. Apparently, the way he was stretching, raising his hands towards the sky, showing of a small glimmer of his midriff and groaning slightly was…erotic to Yuriy. The gleam in the cold blue eyes was nothing short of predatory and lustful.

"Look, Borya! It's snowing." Yuriy exclaimed, dragging his boyfriend off to a clearing of trees nearby the parking lot.

Rei stared after them with slightly raised eyebrows "Eh?" Smirking, Kai shook his head, amused.

"How long c-can it possibly t-take for the taxi to c-come here?" Rei growled, shrugging off the lovers' weird behaviour, his teeth starting to chatter, making his stutter more profound. "Twenty-five minutes." Kai said, shrugging. "Not that long."

"G-Great, just g-great. I w-won't feel anything when the t-tak-k-si arrives." Rei startled as a scarf was wrapped around him. "K-Kai?"

"Take it, I'm not cold."

"B-But-!" The older teen glared. "Than-k-ks. Where are we g-going again?"

"Obsidian." Kai snorted. "Joy."

"R-Right…Don't you l-like dancing, K-Kai?"

"Hn."

"Ah." Rei wrapped his coat and scarves tighter around himself, desperately trying to get warm, rubbing his arms and stomping he moved from foot to foot. Rei startled as his hearing picked up some rather disturbing noises sounding from the clearing of trees and promptly blushed.

Kai snickered, "How did you think we kept warm in the winter?" Rei's eyes widened. "F-Fire?"

"Hn. You chop the wood. When it's snowing, blowing and twenty-five degrees below zero."

"I think I l-like Ch-China m-much b-better now." Rei shivered.

"Hn."

The sounds increased

"How m-many more m-minutes?" Rei inwardly cursed himself for the squeak like quality his voice took. Kai was leering at him, obviously very amused with his squeaking. "Fifteen."

The winds picked up, blowing colder and harder, with more intensity and definitely with more and more snow. Rei yelped as he felt arms wrap around him from behind. "Come on Rei, if we stand in the open any longer you'll freeze to death. Yuriy! Boris!" Shouting at his friends, he slowly made his way towards the trees.

"Mm. Ah, K-Kai? Stop it, Borya! Oh…"

"Horny bastards." Kai muttered before yelling again. "We're coming in, the weather's getting worse."

"Ah! w-wait!" Some fumbling, and then, "Alright, it's clear."

Kai half lead, half carried Rei inside of the clearing where it was more or less windless due to the position of the trees. Leaning against a tree, in his typical 'Kai-pose', he held Rei around the waist with Rei's slighter body between his legs.

"Cold, kitty?" Boris smirked.

"V-Very." Rei's teeth chattered, more than before, and he crossed his arms in an attempt to make his body smaller and preserve some of his, and Kai's, body heat. "I-I c-can't w-wait t-till we g-get inside."

Producing a bottle from one of his pockets, Boris held it out in offering to Rei. "Vodka?"

Rei scrunched up his face. "D-Don't l-like vodka."

"No? Your loss." Shrugging, Boris took a swig from the bottle, before passing it to his lover, who repeated the procedure before handing it over to Kai, who swallowed a couple of mouthfuls as well. "Are you sure, Rei? You'll feel warmer."

Hesitantly, Rei accepted the bottle. "Small sips, right?" Kai nodded, nudging the neko-jin,who slowly raised the bottle,tasting the sharp, bitter liquid. "Disgusting!" He nevertheless gulped down a few mouthfuls before handing it back to Boris for another round.

* * *

Well? I've got the story pretty much outlined, so the next chapter _should _up soon.

R&R, please, and make me happy.


	2. Mine

Here goes…

Hopefully, I got it right. Mostly. There are some things…but, well, it'll have to do.

I recently did the speaking and listening test for my CAEC, and beforehand, our teacher told us, very strictly, not to speak any other language than English. And what does the examiner do? Speaks Swedish of course ;). That was amusing…but still, enough of this.

Thanks to all those of you who reviewed to the last chapter, and for the advice…weird how it never occurred to me that you could do it like that…

Mine.

* * *

_Late night._

"You're so goddamn sexy, Yuu- Yuu-chan!" Rei giggled.

"You're drunk!"

Rei stuck his tongue out. "Uh-huh!"

"Intend to use it?" Rei shook his head.

"Then put it back in before I decide to." The tongue disappeared faster than Rei's eyes widened.

"But you're with, with, Boris!"

Yuriy just chuckled, slinging an arm around Rei's shoulders and drawing him in closer so that their foreheads were touching. "So?"

"B-But that wouldn't be right! It's, it's not right…" Rei stuttered, feeling very confused.

Smirking evilly, Yuriy leaned in even closer. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

Rei started to shake his head, his eyes darting around the garden they were in, trying to find someone to help him with the drunk, horny redheaded Russian.

"I've seen you looking at me, staring." Leaning in to whisper in Rei's ear, he let his breath kiss the tip of the pointed ear. "Or maybe the real problem is that you want Kai to be standing here, holding you, trying to seduce you. Not me." The redhead felt more then heard Rei's breath hitch. Smirking, he boldly traced the neko-jin's ear with his tongue.

"I've seen you staring at him too, more than you look at me or Boris. You want him." Rei's breathing went erratic. Blushing and stammering he tried to protest.

"Ah, oh. N-no…you-you're w-wrong. I- uh." Yuriy nibbled on the lobe of Rei's ear, efficiently cutting the stuttering off.

"You know I'm not. That smooth, deep, slightly husky voice of his…when he speaks, when he calls your name; makes your knees weak. He makes you breathless, you go all red-faced and flushed. So sweet, so obvious…" Rei panted.

"N-no…I-" Planting a kiss or two just below Rei's jawbone silenced him from speaking, though a small squeak escaped his throat.

"Shall we talk about his body then? His strong arms, broad shoulders and firm chest? Or perhaps his abs? Those rocking hard muscles that you and I both know he has. Or is it his behind? From where I'm standing it's a pretty damn hot ass he's got. Judging by the amount of times I've seen your eyes stray after it; I know you think so too."

"Yu-Yuriy…" Yuriy smirked and playfully squeezed Rei's behind.

"I don't think that's it though…I don't think it's his hot body or handsomely beautiful face, but rather his eyes. His deep enticingly, smouldering crimson eyes, framed by those thick lashes, so tantalizingly hidden by a fringe that keeps insisting on falling into his eyes, blocking your gaze, your view." Breathing heavily, Rei closed his eyes. "Am I right?" Rei slowly, hesitantly raised his arms and hugged Yuriy back.

"I-I think you might have a point."

"He makes your spine tingle then?" Raising his head, Yuriy spoke in his normal tone of voice, no longer whispering and breathing in Rei's ear. The two stood, just embracing each other.

"Y-Yes, I think he may do that…"

"Turns you on, does he?" Yuriy hugged Rei tighter to himself.

"I-uh…" A flash of Kai, droplets of water, wet hair and a towel riding low on his hips.

"Oh yes, definitely."

"Can I have my kiss now then?" Smirking mischievously, Yuriy leaned in closer, barely waiting for Rei's stutter before claiming the soft, cold, slightly chapped lips.

"Ye- What? N- Mmph!"

A few dazed, heavenly seconds later, or maybe it was minutes? Rei couldn't tell. What he could tell, however, was that Yuriy was one hell of a kisser. Either way, Yuriy was the first one to break the kiss, and he laughed at the picture the Chinese youth presented. Dazed, confused and blushing. "You're so darn cute!"

"But you kissed me!" Rei was shocked beyond belief, not counting the fact that not only was Yuriy in a relationship with- Rei paled. If Boris found out…_oh shit! He'll kill me!_

"Da." The redhead grinned smugly, looking immensely proud of himself.

"You weren't supposed to do that!" Rei scolded Yuriy, jabbing his chest with a slender finger, still fearing the reaction Boris might have.

"No?" Yuriy batted at the hand, and cocked his head confusedly at Rei.

"No. We were…what were we supposed to do?" Rei faltered. He remembered something about not being let in, about looking too young and having to go back for something. "We…uh. Something, something to do with Obsidian…"

"IDs! We were supposed to pick up our IDs!" The Russian exclaimed gleefully.

Rei clapped his hands in delight. "That's right!" Yuriy looked around, becoming confused. "We're are we?"

The neko-jin took in the surroundings. A swing, good. Anything else? Ah, his climbing tree, and a beydish. "In a garden…" -His- climbing tree? Oh. "It's our garden, look! That's our house!" Rei waved his arms about, proudly presenting the house.

Dissolving into giggles, they soon managed to make their way inside, find their IDs, lock the door and walk back the couple of blocks it took to get to Obsidian. This time, mainly due to their IDs, the bouncers let them in.

* * *

_After midnight._

A couple of hours later, filled with loud music, alcohol and dancing, found four friends in various intoxicated stages. It was nearing closing time, when a slow song came on, making Rei perk up. "Yuu-chan! I wanna dance!"

"Sorry Rei, but Red's mine for the rest of the night." The lavender haired Russian spoke up, preventing the two friends from dancing yet another dance with each other, and grabbed Yuriy for himself.

"B-But-!" Rei pouted at the oldest Russian. It didn't work.

"Take Kai or something." Boris words made Yuriy giggle.

"Yes Rei-Rei, dance with Kai!" He then disappeared into the swaying bodies on the dance floor, dragging his lover with him, and leaving Rei alone by their table, pouting.

"'What's a cutie like ya doin' 'ere all 'lone?" A heavy arm draped itself over Rei's shoulders, weighing him down. Rei startled, blushing, all of a sudden noticing that he wasn't alone anymore. "I, uhm, nothing."

"Nothin' huh? How 'bout we change tha'?" The stranger's breath reeked of alcohol and tobacco, and his eyes wandered over Rei's body lustfully. The tight clothes the Chinese youth was wearing didn't exactly leave much to the imagination.

"I'm okay." Feeling uncomfortable, he started to look around for his friends. But Yuriy and Boris were still dancing, or, well, too far away for them to see him and there was still no sign of Kai.

"How 'bout ya c'me with me back to m'place? We'll get to know each'ther prop-properly. Yeah?" The man hiccupped, slurring, grinning at Rei, letting one of his hands grope the neko-jin's backside.

"Eek! Uh, no. I don't think so." Rei freaked, feeling molested and deprived of breathing space. Despite being drunk, the man's grip was too strong for Rei to break out of. "Let go of me!"

"Sure ya wanna. I prom-promise I'll behave an' be really nice." Unable to resist, the drunken man started to run his hands over Rei's torso and back. Rei whimpered, shaking his head, pushing at the hands and trying to get away, _Kai, where are you? _

"Let go! Stop!"

"I believe he said no, creep. Get off him." Rei could've cried, feeling as if a heavy weight had lifted from his heart, there was no mistaking in who that lovely, husky voice belonged to.

"Eh? Who d'ya thin-" Feeling the disgusting freak's grip slack, Rei used it against him.

"Kai!" He slipped out of the drunken man's hold, launching himself at Kai. "I missed you!" He giggled and purred happily, nuzzling Kai's neck, relieved.

Glaring at the two, the molester grumbled and left, no doubt searching for someone else to get into bed that night. Someone _easier_.

Kai's dark stare followed the man until he was out of sight, rubbing Rei's back absentmindedly. "Rei? Are you alright?"

"Yes…is he gone?" Rei replied hesitantly, still a bit shaken.

"Ah."

The affirmative answer caused Rei to look up, grab Kai's drink and down what was left of it, depositing the now empty glass on a nearby table. "He is. Good. Now come." He then proceeded to back towards the dance floor, pulling Kai along by his neck.

"Eh, where?" Almost tripping due to Rei's anything but efficient method of dragging someone, Kai steadied himself by holding onto Rei's slim hips.

"Dance. I wanna dance, and I really, really like this song. And Yuu wouldn't dance with me, 'cause Boris said he wanted him. So I have to take you instead. So come." Rei explained, sounding as if it was very obvious and that Kai was very stupid for not having realised it already.

Kai startled and started to pull back. "I don't dance." Rei's eyes widened, and he held onto Kai tighter.

"B-But, I- please, Kai."

Kai made the mistake of looking into Rei's eyes; Rei's big, golden, sad, bottomless pits. Kai felt his resolve crumble and die. "Alright. Just please don't be sad Rei…I don't like seeing you sad." Rei's eyes glowed, and he smiled happily, giggling softly. "Yes. You should be happy."

"I'll always be happy then. Are you happy?" Rei laughed, and dragged Kai a couple of feet further into the mass of swaying bodies before he stopped.

"Eh…yeah, of course I am." Kai looked around hesitantly, feeling awkward and out of place.

"I'm glad." Looping his arms around Kai's neck more firmly, Rei contentedly snuggled his head in the crook of Kai's neck, nuzzling him gently.

Kai froze; the feeling of Rei so close and the vodka, the music so loud…swallowing, Kai held Rei. Rei, feeling Kai's arms around him, pressed himself even closer to Kai, who gasped. "Rei! Oh…uh, I mean-" Rei laughed, kissed Kai's cheek and told him to relax.

Slowly, Kai felt himself relaxing, allowing Rei to lead the dance, the swaying, and awkwardly followed Rei's motions. Growing slightly more confident with each beat, each passing second, he closed his eyes, nuzzling Rei's hair. Ever so slowly he felt himself unwind, and held the slighter teen more firmly against himself, letting Rei take the lead.

Rei smiled happily. "Not so bad, is it?" He whispered slyly in Kai's ear. He felt more than heard Kai's mumbled answer, the vibration of Kai's throat and the kiss pressed against his temple soon after. Rei smiled again and kissed the side of Kai's neck instead of replying verbally.

Feeling his breath hitch slightly, Kai kissed Rei's forehead daringly.

Rei blushed, his mouth dry all of a sudden, heartbeat speeding up. "Kai…" A whispered name, a few short, lingering kisses placed on his jaw made Kai gasp and moan silently. Kai pulled his head back ever so slightly and kissed Rei's nose.

Pulling back again, Kai's burning crimson eyes stared intently into Rei's darkened, golden depths. The distance between them disappeared slowly, so subtly that neither of them noticed until their noses bumped all of sudden.

"Kai…I- Oh. Rei's eyes widened. Kai felt his heart stop beating. Their mouths met in a short, chaste kiss, once, twice, thrice, again and again.

"Rei."

He was not pulling away. A pair of sparkling eyes slowly fell shut, closely followed by a pair of amazed dark crimson. _He wants me._ "Kiss me." And Kai did.

Their lips met shyly, as if the kisses exchanged before never happened. Kai slowly put more pressure on his lips and tilted his head to the side, in response the nejo-jin's mouth opened ever so slightly. Rei felt Kai's tongue push into his mouth, and moaned blissfully, softly moving his own against it.

Then the world came crashing down. Only the mind-blowing kisses, soft caresses and the easy, sensual sway of dancing bodies existed.

* * *

_1/4 2001, early morning._

"Nngh…" Rei groaned in protest and burrowed his head pillow. Only, there was no pillow. _Damit! Where's the pillow?_ "Ugh. Bloody sun." He felt his blanket move, and pull him closer. Grumbling, Rei let himself be pulled and snuggled deeper into his blanket. Rei's eyes shot open. "Blankets don't move."

"Ouh…Rei? What…?" Kai grumbled from where his head was resting on Rei's chest, arms wrapped possessively tight around the Chinese youth's torso.

"K-Kai!" Rei panicked. "Why- Wha-? We, uh, how- Mm..." Kissing him softly, mainly to quiet Rei, Kai pulled back after a second or two.

"'S too bloody early. Sleep."

"Kai! But-" Kai kissed him again, harder and a fraction longer. Rei felt his face heat up, and uncertainly looked into Kai's eyes. _What-? Oh. We danced and kissed…and then, Yuriy and Boris came…_"What happened after we got back, Kai?" Speaking silently, he looked down and noticed their lack of clothing. No shirts, no trousers…Rei's eyes widened, face flushing hotly.

"We didn't go _all the way_, if that's what you mean. We did…enjoy ourselves though." Kai smirked, albeit a bit tiredly and put his head back on Rei's chest, sighing contentedly, he pulled at Rei's boxers. "Still clothed."

"Oh." And then he remembered. The kisses, the touches, the warm, wonderful feeling when Kai touched him, when he kissed him and gazed into his eyes in that scorching way...

_A full-blown make out session, huh? _Kai nodded, chuckling. "I said that out loud?" Kai nodded again. "Kai-"

"Rei-Rei! Are you in there? Rei-Rei?" Mao banged on the door, hard and loud, shouting to 'her' Rei.

"Oh no!" Rei groaned and Kai growled. "Bloody nuisance."

"Rei! Rei, are you awake?"

"How could I not be?" Grumbling, he glared at the door. Kai rolled his eyes, and slowly planted kisses along the exposed collarbone, unable to resist.

"Mm, oh..." Moaning, Rei tilted his head, giving Kai more space to work his hot mouth on. "Kai." He temporarily stopped, and smiled at Rei, kissing him fully on his mouth instead.

"Are you ill? I'm coming in, Rei-Rei!" Kai and Rei looked at each other horrified. Pulling back from their kiss, Kai rolled off Rei and swiftly pulled the blanket up from somewhere to cover them.

Then Mao burst into the room.

"Kai! What are you doing to _my_ Rei-Rei!"

Kai glared at her, and closed his eyes, saying nothing. "Eh, Mao, he hasn't done anything bad to me."

Mao's eyes narrowed as she glared at Kai, eyes full of disgust. "Then why are you in _his_ bed!"

Rei's frowned. Why was he in Kai's bed? _Ah, that's right._ "We were out last night, got pretty wasted and probably thought it was a terrific idea to sleep in the same bed." Kai snorted.

"It was a rather good one, aye?" He mumbled under his breath. Rei heard and blushed, while Mao sneered, disgusted and angry with Kai for _daring_ be close to her precious Rei-Rei.

"Hn." She sniffed. "That's not good for you Rei, who knows what that _freak_ might do to you. Anyway, breakfast is ready. I made pancakes for you, Rei-Rei!" Squealing, she blew Rei a kiss and bounced out, no doubt for the kitchen.

"…I don't feel so good." Kai snorted, and massaged Rei's hair bottom. "You were drunk. It's called a hangover, Rei." Rei nodded. "Amplified."

"I know. All that vodka. Bloody Russian- Shit!" Kai startled.

Rei sat up abruptly in the narrow bed, causing his bed partner to almost fall off. "What?"

"I can't believe I let him do that! Boris' gonna kill me! Oh man, I'm so dead!" Looking at Rei bewildered, he shuffled closer, resting his chin on the bare shoulder.

"What? Yuriy?"

Nodding, he glanced at the Russian. "Him and his bloody mouth! He sprouted all this nonsense about seducing me and that I'd rather have you do it and liking you and stuff like that. He kissed me! I can't believe him! The nerve of it…"

Kai froze, and Rei's eyes widened, realising what he said. "Kai! I, uh, didn't mean-"

"Hn. Get out." His voice was chilly, and Rei was no longer hugged, but shoved back on the bed.

"No! I mean, I _do_! You're, you're not nonsense. I- you, I really, really like you and I do think that, that you're, uh…" Trailing of, Rei looked down, blushing under Kai's heavy scrutinizing gaze.

"I like you too."

"You do?" Kai nodded, smiling and Rei beamed back, grinning joyously.

"Are we a, a couple then?"

Kai kissed him.

"Oh, and Rei?"

"Y-Yes…"

"You're -my- Rei."

* * *

_1/4 2001, afternoon._

"Hn."

"Borya! Don't ignore me! C'me on! I won, so you have to pay up!"

"You cheated."

"No, I didn't."

Boris stared witheringly at the redhead, causing him to squirm.

"I may have, eh, pushed him in the right direction, but that's not cheating!"

"…"

"…are you mad?"

Boris snorted and shook his head. "Here." He tossed a wallet to the redhead. "I'm taking a shower."

Confused, Yuriy stared after his lover, _What?_ It wasn't like him to just give up like that. Shrugging, Yuriy opened the wallet, only to find it empty. No notes or money, no pictures or cards. Bewildered he looked it through again. Still nothing. "What the hell?" As a last resort, he opened the part designed to hold coins and something fell out. "Oh, a coin-" Wide-eyed he stared at the object. A ring. It was a ring.

"Boris!" Crying out, he ran into the bathroom, waving the ring back and forth in the air. "Boris! What-?" A hand clamped over his mouth, silencing him.

"Happy anniversary, love."

His blue eyes widened in remembrance. "Anniversary…"_ Five years_. "Oh. I thought…" Sighing, Boris kissed the redhead's cheek.

"Don't you like it?" His head snapped up.

"No, of course I do. I love it, it's so beautiful…" He looked at the ring; a simple ring made of white gold, and sighed happily.

Taking it with his own hand, Boris held it up. He then reached for Yuriy's left hand and slipped it on his ring finger, leaning close, he whispered. "It can be more than that you know."

Giggling softly, Rei closed the door; he could always tell the Russians some other time. Besides, Yuriy already seemed to know he won…

* * *

_6/4 2001, after dinner._

It was a couple of days after, when it slowly dawned to several of the other occupants in the house, a temporary courtesy of the BBA, that something they couldn't quite place their fingers on had changed.

Max slowly backed out of the kitchen, when he was confronted by the sight of Rei, mixing sugar and curry into a bread tin, sighing, a blissfully distant expression on his face.

No one ever realised how scary the sight of someone as stoical and unmoved as Kai staring dreamily into the air and sigh was until Takao dropped the plate of sandwiches, breaking several glasses.

Kyouju dropped dead in a faint, when he, after repairing his laptop, ran into the garage. Yuriy. Radiating. Sparkling eyes. Band of silver.

Boris was the only one of those four that behaved _normal_, and the word normal and Boris shouldn't be used in the same equation.

The members of the Bai Fu Zu watched apprehensively, nervously twitching. The jeers and leers going on between Sergei and Ivan really weren't something they wanted to know the reason behind. Nor were the _inside_ jokes, smirks, lifted eyebrows and evil snickers.

Rei came in with a hickey the day after their outing. Mao was furious, and lashed out at him, ranting and seething. The other Bladebreakers teased the neko-jin relentlessly. Rei blushed, bothered and uncomfortable, with Kai glaring murderously at everyone, having made a fast recovery from the water he'd choked on when Mao's shriek echoed through the house. However, it was the demonic Russians' comments that set it all off. The most incomprehensible show to date…

Ivanov smirked knowingly, right hand twirling something around on his other hand. "Well, he could've gotten it anywhere, really. It _was_ awfully _dark_, and _smoky_ after all."

"Ah, s_mouldering_ heat…"

"True, true…could've been that new pet of his too, you know."

It was scary, the way they grinned so evilly at each other. "Aye. The Russian blue…"

Kai barked something in Russian at them, snapping. Boris snorted, turning his head away. Yuriy, bit his lip, looking torn, then threw himself at Kai, hugging him to death.

Yuriy pressed his forehead against Kai's and whispered something, he looked almost indifferent, were it not for his sad eyes and his pleading tone of voice. "Ti njenavidesh menya, Kai?"

Kai brought his hands up, and softly traced the outline of the redhead's jawbone. "Niet…nikogda." Yuriy grinned, spirit lifted.

"Kai…ya lyublyu tebya…" Kai's eyes widened, and a small blush grazed his cheeks, eyes taking on a happy gleam, wide as they were.

"Ya…Yuriy- Ya-" Speechless, and Yuriy all-knowing.

"Ya znayu."

"Lyublyu tebya…tebya moy brat."

"Brat..."1

Yuriy leaned down slightly, softly kissing the other Russian on the mouth, slowly. The reactions varied from abhorred and more than a little disgusted, to the gleeful 'aww's in minority.

Yuriy looked close to tears when Kai called him a brat, what's so great with that? That Ivan guy always looked absolutely furious when anyone dared to call him that, and Yuriy broke Takao's nose once because of that same word…"Russians are insane!" Takao's outburst caused them to draw apart, and several sets of eyes swirled expectantly in Boris' direction, waiting for him to lash out at them.

Boris. Tall, menacing, broad shoulders and very, very strong. Sadistic, a love, and a tendency, for torturing and beating people up…

A smirk slowly crept upon his features, and he snorted, amused; he let their abnormal behaviour slip and dared to look amused. He flicked Kai's nose and slung an arm around the redhead's shoulders. Rei grinned, quickly reprimanded by several glares. Temporarily cowed, he shuffled his feet, copying Yuriy's earlier behaviour and bit his lip.

Even if Kai didn't show it, Rei could feel the disappointment welling up inside of him. Rei hesitated, unsure. He was startled out of his thoughts, by Ivan's sudden outburst of laughter, clapping his hands, obviously very amused.

Wringing his hands, he glanced uncertainly at Kai, posture slightly slumped. Turning away, he gazed forlornly over at Mao and Rai, swallowing, he closed his eyes briefly. Boris caught his stare, raising an eyebrow challenging. He shrugged, a smile slowly creeping back on his face.

Then Rei, the supposedly homophobic neko-jin approached them, smiling and laughing happily, going against his entire upbringing in a few, short seconds of defiance, and kissed Kai's cheek. "You guys are just too cute." The others didn't know if it was Rei or his comment that triggered it, but Yuriy all of a sudden hit Kai's chest. Hard. With his fist.

"And don't you _ever_ dare to ignore me again!"

Takao bristled. And he was not alone.

* * *

Since my inspiration is sporadic, at best, this story will be too. Context-wise. Next chapter is about changes and happiness a few years down the line. Expect it in a week or so. 

That's it for now. Ta.

And the translations, right. Can't forget them, eh?

**Tiy njenavidesh mienya** - Do you hate me

**Niet, nikogda** - No, never

**Ya lyublyu tebya** - I love you

**Ya** - I

**Ya Znajesh** - I know

**Tebya moy brat** - You're my brother

**Brat** - Brother


	3. Changes

It's a bit different to that last two chapters, and it's the only chapter with diary-writing. But I think it came out non-too shabby.

Changes.

* * *

Older and wiser golden eyes smiled. To be honest, Rei had no idea what possessed him to read through his old journal…and maybe old wasn't the right word. The journal wasn't something frequently used, but it still held a great importance. His first kiss, first time, _the_ 'I love you', the decision to buy a home together… 

Everything he wanted to document. Freeze in time. It was all in that square shaped black book.

Insecurities. Of his doubts and dreams, hopes. Once, he had feared everything. Always doubting, always insecure. But, what teenager didn't go through that? Before he and Kai became Kai and Rei, he had written at least once a week, sometimes even once a day. There was so much new back then. So many changes. All ready to be documented and processed into his small book.

Rei sighed, his hand unconsciously drifting to his abdomen. He shook his head, grabbing a pen and added a new entry, of old times, in his battered journal. To clarify, before he too, forgot.

_31/12 2005, midday._

_My ears rung for a week. Mao's shrill voice isn't kind on the hearing, especially not mine, anyway. The bruise of Rai's fist connecting with my cheek took a week longer to fade away. I wonder how long it was until he could walk properly again?_

_On a sadder note, unfortunately I had been correct about their reactions if they were to find out about us. Maybe it wasn't sad. In a way, their reactions just showed us that they weren't true friends, and the few that were, remained. Through thick and thin, it's said._

_All of my childhood friends…I might as well be buried already. I suppose that was the 'fuck' that was going on. I only wish they could've handled it. Accepted it. How couldn't they? Is the concept of love that foreign to villagers of a society were everything is pre-decided by elders? It was only the truth. Love… _

_I knew, even then, that Rai had his suspicions about where my tendencies lay, but that kiss…that kiss was the final straw. Being the grandson of the head chief, he had, and still has, the authority to banish anyone from returning 'home'. _

_I was a bit sad, not because of the banishment preventing me from meeting my friends and family, because I had none. Not after that. It was more because I would never again see the beautiful nature; the trees and little rivers, the mountains…wake to see the sun on a winter's morning._

_I think Kai took it harder than me. It hurt him through me, and I wasn't as hurt. He expected retribution of some kind, and got none from his own remaining relatives. But through me._

_His family, and if not by blood then by heart. The original Neoborgs. There were never caring parents or younger brothers and sisters in the abbey. Just them, as a team, under the guidance of Yuriy, to look after each other. And now…all of a sudden there was. A rapidly expanding family…_

_Out of our old team, the only one who didn't really mind was Kyouju. In the argument that ensued between Kai and Takao, it was ultimately Hitoshi who stepped in to stop it. And not in a way Takao favoured._

_Hitoshi, was, and still is, involved with Brooklyn, and the __Kinomiyas __haven't spoken since. I don't know how Kinomiya jii-san feels about it; all I know is that he never once spoke up on either side. The silent spectator. _

_While the majority of them ignore us, Chief and Hitoshi call every now and then. Just to say hello, update us on their families, Kyouju on his wife, Ming Ming, and Hitoshi on Brooklyn and their twins, Sunow and Yukiko, we on our family life, and make sure we're alright and that there still isn't a change of heart towards us 'fags'. Tell us they're happy, that we're happy. How wonderful it would be to see each other again. We know we won't, we live too far apart, but the illusion of the possibility is nice to have. It brings hope._

_The Majestics were an odd bunch. In fact, Olivier is currently dating Ivan, and has been doing so the past two and a half years. Robert and Johnny have something going on as well, but well…they're odd. _

_The American team proclaimed us sinners of the holy bible, it's funny how they never struck me as religious. We haven't heard from them since either. Complaining? No. Hypocritical bunch. They weren't even there when it happened, but once Max told his mother…we had to buy a new computer. It got, infested._

_Brooklyn's former team didn't really care one way or the other. Mystel moved in with Sergei a couple of years ago, and only last year had a baby. Apparently they started seeing each other during the BEGA days, and have been together since then…almost six years. All though, compared to Yuriy and Boris, who started to date roughly somewhere around the ice age, that's nothing. It surprised me at first, but they have never actually been separated. Never. They've always been together. Before the abbey, during the abbey, after the abbey. Still together. If that _isn't _true love, I don't know what is, and if they _aren't _soul mates, I don't know who are. _

_Boris didn't kill me when Yuriy pleased, and far too smugly, informed him of the _encounter_. Bastard kissed me as well, so frustrating at times, those two._

_We did actually get a cat, not a Russian blue though. A stray kitten sleeping next to my bike…I couldn't just leave it, so I brought her home. She's roughly three years, black, white, and grey with the odd spot of orange here and there. She's lovely! Her name's Mishmash. Three guesses as to who named her. Honestly, Kai has no style. Or imagination. Hopefully, he won't name any of our children by their appearances._

_But…he'll do. He'll do just fine, my man._

_Now, how to tell Kai the good news…_

_On a second note, how would Rei Hiwatari sound? Or Rei Kon Hiwatari…maybe Kai could take my name…naah. He's too much of a manly man to do that…oh…the village withdrew my right to the name Kon, didn't they? Well…_

_Can you imagine it, on the shelves in the bookstores, Rei Hiwatari? The bestseller of all times. But then, I'd actually have to write a book, too…a nice thought though. The story of Rei Hiwatari…_

Rei grinned, fangs peaking out, and put down the pen. His writing _had_ improved, and he was very content with that. It still wavered, but it was improving. "Kai?"

A grey head poked around the doorframe. "Yes Rei?"

"Which sounds best, Rei Hiwatari or Rei Kon Hiwatari?"

"Wh-What?"Rei smiled apprehensively, biting his lip.

"Which sounds best-?" Rei wondered why Kai had to look so bloody gorgeous and adorable when he was confused, and it helped easing his nerves.

"I heard…but _what_? Why?" Kai cocked his head, drying his hands on the apron he was wearing, having been interrupted in the middle of washing the dishes.

Rei smiled nervously, and shakily reached out for Kai's hand, placing it on his abdomen, taking a leap. "I'm pregnant Kai."

_Thump!_

"Kai!" Gasping, Rei rushed over to the passed out form of his boyfriend. Kneeling, he placed Kai's head in his lap. "Kai? C'me on, love…" His lover moaned, eyelashes fluttering as crimson orbs struggled to open. "Hey…" Rei felt the worry left him; he was flooded with relief at the sight of his lover's heavy lidded gaze.

"Hi." Kai stroked Rei's cheek with a trembling hand.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah…I-" The red eyes gazing into his own somewhat unfocusedly filled with hope. "Are you really-?" Rei nodded, smiling. "Oh…" Kai closed his eyes, a dopey smile etched on his face. "…m'daddy…a baby…" The Russian's eyes shot open. "We're having a baby!" Then Rei was the one lying on the floor, smothered with kisses from a delighted, exited Russian.

The last of Rei's tension disappeared, not that he ever truly believed that Kai would abandon him, quite the opposite, but it was still nice to know for sure. Nice to be reassured.

Yuriy was currently walking/waddling around looking as if he'd stuffed a growing football under his shirt…Rei wasn't stupid; he knew what the soft sighs and dreamy smiles Kai emitted were about. The slate haired man wanted a baby. It was so obvious. Kai always managed to find an excuse to 'feel it', and he'd been wearing a very pleased grin the whole week after Boris and Yuriy told him that sometime during April Kai would be an uncle.

It was strange how a man who was feared by children, appeared to detest them, could have such a _want_ for a baby.

The recent discovery of the male neko-jins' 'special-surviving-development' only further added to Kai's want; a baby created by both of them, without medical aid and ridiculously high hospital fees, which would've been their case. Human technology and medicines didn't always work on neko-jin. The more neko-jin that left the village because of their homosexuality, the more frequent their natural pregnancies became. It was almost as if sodomising had been forbidden because of that, in order to suppress and destroy.

The only downside with the male neko-jins' ability to reproduce was that not everyone had it, not all could endure it. Sometimes, it had been suppressed for too long, and the neko-jin in question lost the ability. It had dampened Kai's spirits, not that he admitted it, but it was obvious to those who knew him. Rei wanted to be able to promise Kai a baby, and now he could. His body hadn't been neglected for long enough, thankfully.

_Their_ baby. Their own little angel, waiting to be born in approximately seven months…

Groaning mentally, Rei belatedly realised what he'd given himself into. Kai was going to pamper him to death, worrying like a mother hen and insist on doing everything for him, even going as far as carrying him everywhere. The Russian was ridiculously protective and paranoid.

"You're not upset then?"

Kai shook his head, the narrowed eyes berating him for even suggesting that he would be. "No, I love you, so, so, very much." He caressed Rei's still flat tummy gently, softly. "How could I not? You're making my deepest dream come true Rei…you're giving me a family, my family... I'm going to be a dad…" Rei' eyes filled with tears of joy at the sight of Kai's shiny, bright, teary eyes, his loving words and soft rubbing. He looked so happy...

"I love you too."

A couple of tear-filled moments later, Kai sniffled laughingly, a couple of tears still escaping his eyes. "I've never cried with happiness before…" Rei smiled gently, drying Kai's tears, hearing what Kai wasn't saying. He probably hadn't cried at all since he was a child.

"You're such a baka, Kai." He sought out Kai's lips with his own for a brief kiss. "We have to get married." Kai blinked, not comprehending. "I will not have my baby born out of wedlock, Kai! We're getting married."

Shuffling back, Kai stood up. "On your feet, Kon."

Rei winced, Kai never called him by his last name. Not since before that dreadful tournament in Russia all those years ago… Rising, he kept his head lowered, arms automatically placed protectively around his stomach.

"Wait here. Don't move." The Russian walked out of the room, and into the study. He came back a few minutes later. Rei hadn't moved an inch. Kai smiled weakly, took a deep breath. Then he kneeled.

Rei gasped, his hands flying up to cover his mouth. "K-Kai?"

The kneeling man offered a nervous smile. "Rei…I love you." Reaching into his pocket, Kai shakily withdrew a beautiful ring. Tears of happiness and love started to fall from shining amber depths. "Be mine?"

"Y-Yes!" Rei fell to his knees, sobbing, almost hugging Kai to death. "G-Gods how I l-love you…you i-idiot! L-Leaving me l-like that, I-I thought-…H-Hiwatari…"

Rei's mindless rambling made little to no sense to Kai. "You're such a drama queen…what?"

"N-No, I want t-to be R-Rei Hiwatari."

"Oh." Rei nodded, still crying, and peaked at his ring finger over Kai's shoulder. He never got a proper look at it before. "…It's so b-beautiful!"

"Platinum and a ruby." To Rei, that sounded awfully expensive. But it was too beautiful for him to care, and frankly, he was too happy. The simple platinum bond gleamed, and the ruby sparkled, shaped like the brightest star. "It was my mama's."

"Oh K-Kai!"

"It's alright. She would've wanted you to have it, only you…my beautiful, shining Rei…"

Rei sniffled, snuggling closer. "I'm not wearing a dress, Kai. I want a kimono…" Pregnancy didn't make him a woman, and neither Yuriy nor Boris had worn one.

"You'll be gorgeous, like always…" Smiling softly to himself, Kai slowly and carefully manoeuvred them into a lying position, with Rei curled up on his chest like an oversized kitten. The image of Rei in a beautiful white kimono, showing the tines hint of a bump. "How far along are you?"

"Hm? Kai…oh, just over two months." Rei happily snuggled closer to Kai, relishing in the warmth and love that radiated from him in waves. He purred as one of Kai's hands made it to his stomach, stroking the soft skin under his shirt.

"When will you start to show?"

"Some time after third month, probably during the fourth, since it's my, my first time, our first child…"

"…Oh…then I'll-we'll see the baby? We'll have to have the wedding soon, then?"

"Yeah…I'll be fat." Rei pulled a face. The Russian sighed dreamily, thinking that soon he'd be able to feel their baby kick and moving about…a goofy smirk slowly planted itself on Kai's face, the picture of Rei in his head growing.

"No, you'll be lovely." _My own tubby neko-jin…_"Can I tell Yuriy?" The Hiwatari decided to take Rei's laughter as a 'yes', and pulled out his mobile, speed dialling the pregnant redhead.

"He-"

"Yuriy!"

"Hi Kai…wait, stop. I'm tired, my feet ache, my back is literally killing me and I have a major headache. Let me in!"

"In? Where-?"

"Outside your front door. Open it! Now! Consider that an order, Hiwatari!" Kai's eyebrows rose in bewilderment.

"It's open, besides-" **Beep, beep**. "He hung up…" Patting Kai's chest, snuggled up on Kai's it as he were, his head resting close to Kai's, Rei overheard the short conversation.

"He's tired."

"More like grumpy…"

"Actually, the accurate word would be pregnant. Now get me some pineapple!"

Rei and Kai stared at each other with amused horror. "We don't have pineapple."

The redhead puffed his cheeks, his eyes cool eyes narrowing. "What do you mean you don't have pineapple!" Intervening before Yuriy threw a temper tantrum, Kai blurted the first thing that came to mind.

"We're getting married!"

Yuriy stopped mid-rant, his mouth halfway open. "Say what-? Married?" The pregnant man suddenly squealed, his face splitting in two, smiling widely. "That's wonderful, and about time too. I was talking to Borya the other day, and he thought…I don't actually remember what he said, but it's about time. And I'm sure he would agree. When? I can come, right? I'll be your best man, Kai? Won't I? And-"

"In a month." Rei's quiet voice interrupted, making Yuriy startle, then frown.

"Why so soon?" The standing Russian offered a hand, helping Rei up. The moment his feet came in contact with the ground, Rei swayed, groaning he clutched his mouth and rushed for the bathroom. Seconds later the sound of heaving reached their ears.

Yuriy's eyes widened as realisation dawned. "You-! Oh my god! You're having a baby!"

* * *

_15/2 2006, morning._

The sun shining directly at him was slowly forcing his consciousness to the surface of his sleep induced brain. Groaning, Rei stretched, feeling distinctly sore and curled up closer to the source of warmth. "Kai…" And tried to let sleep claim him again.

Kai sleepily clutched his husband of a day closer, a grin on his face, eyes sparkling happily, groggy as they were. "Love you…" Rei stirred, fighting his waking body. His half awake mind heard Kai chuckle, and felt a hand stroking the soft skin on his back. Ever so slowly, amber eyes fluttered open. Sighing happily, he leaned in and tenderly kissed Kai. "How're you feeling?"

"Sore, tired…happy…"

"No regrets?" The newly named Hiwatari smiled, silently waving goodbye to the name Kon and everything associated with it again, just like he had done the previous day when he agreed to be Kai's and Kai's alone. _I do…_

"No…maybe that we didn't do it earlier."

"Why?" Rei whined and wrinkled his nose up.

"I'm fat!" Smirking, Kai shook his head.

"No you're not, love…" Gently pushing his lover to lie on his back, Kai pushed down the blankets to reveal Rei's stomach. "You're beautiful." The Russian ran his hand over the exposed abdomen, gently rubbing the slight swell of it and revelling in it. "That's our baby…"

Their peaceful moment was abruptly shattered by the sound of a ringing phone. Grumbling, Kai reached out and grabbed the cordless phone on his bedside table. "Kai speaking."

"Good morning." Kai froze, that voice…

"Grandfather?" Hearing that one word made Rei's heart stop beating.

"Ah, I see you still remember me."

"What do you want?" Kai growled, fast growing annoyed.

"Am I not allowed to congratulate my heir in his marriage?"

"How-?"

"Don't think you can hide anything from me, boy. At least your partner had enough sense to marry you. What ever possessed you to take a poor, homeless mountain brat for a husband?"

"Because I love him! Don't even think-"

"That I can intervene? I let you marry, didn't I?"

"…what?" Kai blinked, suddenly breathless.

"I could've stopped this if I wanted to, and yet I didn't."

_Click._

"Wait!" Kai stared at the phone in disbelief and sighed.

"Kai?" Startling, Kai turned at the sound of the weak whisper, and found himself face to face with crying, sad amber eyes. "Don't leave me…" Kai shook his head, opening his arms. They were immediately filled. Hormonal out-burst? Or genuine fear?

"Of course I won't. I couldn't. I love you." The neko-jin clung to him, crying in the crook of his neck.

"But-"

"It's alright…he gave us his blessing…I think…" Cradling his mate close, he rubbed Rei's back in comfort until he calmed down.

"H-He won't s-separate us?" Rei sniffled, staring up at Kai with watery eyes, bottom lip trembling.

"No." Definitely hormonal. Kai pursed his lips. Were they as easily swayed as Yuriy's?

Rei felt lips search out his own and hungrily kissed back, moaning as Kai's tongue found its way into his mouth. Kai planted lingering kisses down the soft column of Rei's throat, delighted in the way his lover reacted, inwardly praising himself. "Kai…"

Rei's breath hitched…there was something about Kai's kisses, his very touch. His insides were doing flip-flops, and there was a fluttering sensation in his stomach, as if something was moving, softly stroking. The same feeling he'd felt on and off the past two weeks…

Rei's eyes flew open. "Oh my god." Kai's hands…Kai's hands were nowhere near his stomach, and the wedding had been yesterday, meaning it wasn't nerves... "I- It's moving, Kai…"

"Wha-?" Kai's nipping of Rei's collarbone came to a halt, and Rei slowly guided one of his hands to rest on his abdomen.

There it was again, that slight movement, fluttering like butterflies just beneath his skin.

"Oh…" Kai's expression was blank, tentative. He slowly slid down Rei's body, and gently lay his head on the swell. In response the unborn baby moved again, just under Kai's cheek. "Our baby…I- this is for real…" A tear escaped the corner of his eye, smiling he kissed Rei's stomach, making sure that he covered every little inch with butterfly light kisses. "Love you."

Rei threw his head back and moaned loudly. Kai's mouth wasn't on his stomach anymore.

* * *

I think you can imagine the rest...heh. ' if not, I'm sure you can find a story somewhere to do it for you… 

Next chapter…baby-boom? Until then, ta.

R&R, please.


	4. Okaerinasai

This has been an English only day. I had my last English exams ;)

Here's the next chapter, and guess what? Ah, you'll just have to guess ;). And a special guest appearance too.

Here goes…

Okaerinasai.

* * *

_16/2 2006, lunch._

"Rei!" Turning, grinning like a fool, Rei let himself be hugged to death by the mood swinging Russian.

"Hey Yuriy…"

"Hungry? Good let's order." He barely had the time to nod before the redhead latched onto his wrist, dragging him towards the line. Chatting of this and that, with the Russian warning and telling tales of his pregnancy and what Rei should be on guard against, they slowly came closer to order, until all of a sudden it was their turn. "A pizza please, with pineapple and…just pineapples, please, and some lemonade. Rei?"

"Hm? I want chicken and rice and a strawberry milkshake, please."

Nodding, the cashier wrote it down, accepted their money and gave them a number, told them to help themselves to some salad and asked them to take a table before turning to the next costumer in line.

They sat down by a nearby table, Yuriy's back was aching and his baby was kicking. "I think I want some salad, Yuriy, be right back…" Rei then walked to the bread and salad with a slight limp. _What to have, what to have…breadsticks?_ He smirked, glancing back at Yuriy. And then he caught sight of the ketchup. "Yoshi!" He grinned like a Cheshire cat, _they even have fresh bean pods! _Looking much like a child on Christmas Eve, Rei stocked up on as much as he figured he would be able to consume. Limping back, he slowly eased his way down in the chair across Yuriy, who was leering suggestively, eyebrow raised.

"Sore?"

Grinning impishly, Rei shrugged and started nibbling on one of the pods. "Oh yeah…" Yuriy looked as if he was about to question Rei further, but something on Rei's plate stopped him.

"Breadsticks…" Eyes narrowing, lips pursed, Yuriy threw Rei a calculating glare. Rei smiled innocently. "Give me!" Nodding, the neko-jin obediently pushed the plate to sit between them. It was soon clean, not the tiniest crumble left. "So, I take it the day after you wedding day was satisfactory?" Letting a goofy grin stretch out on his face, Rei sighed dreamily.

"Oh yeah…"

"Kai's good."

Nodding, the Chinese sighed again. "Yeah, he- Hey! How-?" Yuriy smirked.

"How do you think I know?"

"But-! You and Boris-"

"-Were still together back then, yes, I know. But the abbey was a cold, small and lonely place." Eyes twinkling, Yuriy winked.

Rei's form slumped together, crestfallen.

He sat upright, slightly horrified, he hadn't meant… "Hey, kitten, he never slept with us. It was just touches and kisses, besides, Borya would never allow me to sleep with anyone else, not that I would want to, and Kai would never allow himself to do it either.

"It was just comfort, just to know that someone cared. Ivan and Sergei had a similar relationship, with hugs and stuff. There was never anything sexual involved. Thank god! Kai's my brother, it'd be incest, you know?" Somewhere along his talking, Yuriy had taken a hold of one of Rei's hands, while his other hand was stroking the side of Rei's face, slowly coaxing him back into his previously good mood.

The neko-jin sighed, attempting a smile, wavering slightly. "I know, it's just all these hormones! I cry over shitty things and I get upset over nothing and, and…" Rei halted, watching Yuriy's face come closer and closer, as close as he could get, and pulled the neko-jin's face the last bit to close the distance between their faces. He looked questioning into the cool eyes of the Russian, who smirked, and planted a soft, formal kiss on his mouth.

"We won't leave you, none of us will, least of all Kai. We all love you; you're our brother now. Kai's husband."

The sound of a microphone calling out number 425 drew them out of their serious talk. "Food!" Standing abruptly, Rei grabbed their number and walked towards the small booth in the corner, put the number in the box and took their plates and drinks, carrying it on a tray.

"Here we go, one pizza á la pineapple for Mr. Kuznetsov and a glass of lemonade. And chicken á la rice and a strawberry milkshake for myself. And, not to forget, ketchup!" Sitting down again, Rei handed Yuriy a knife and fork. "Dig in!" The neko-jin promptly followed his own advice, only drenching his food with the ketchup before starting to eat.

He swallowed, suddenly remembering the news he was supposed to share with Yuriy, the whole point of their outing in the first place. "The baby kicked."

"Really? When?"

"I didn't quite understand it was the baby at first, you know?" Yuriy nodded, swallowing a mouthful of his pizza around a knowing smile. "I thought I was nerves, and then I thought it was Kai, or well…rather his hands…"

Yuriy smirked. "I knew you limped a tad to much from just 'celebrating' your marriage!" Rei winked, a happy flush to his cheeks.

"Sure you did. This food's amazing!"

"Uh-huh. Why else would we go here? They've got the best pineapples ever here."

Rei coughed discreetly. "_Pineappleoholic_." Quickly grinning sweetly at Yuriy, whose eyes narrowed suspiciously at him. "Kai's grandfather called."

Yuriy froze, unconsciously brining a hand down to his stomach. "Did he now?"

"Yeah…I- He…He didn't- He _congratulated _us…" The redhead blinked.

"He did?"

Rei nodded, mouth full of food. It _really_ was good.

* * *

_21/4 2006, evening._

"Kai! Kai!" Rei waddled towards the study, his large stomach preventing him from moving at a greater speed, where he expected to find his husband. Halting, fists balling, he whined, face scrunching up. "_Kaiii!_" There was a crash sounding from inside the room, followed by cursing and loud footsteps as Kai slammed the door open.

"What?"

"Yuriy's at the hospital!"

"Shit! He wasn't supposed to go in until next week! What happened? Is he alright? We have to go there! Come on Rei, get your coat." Kai ran to the front door, pulling on a pair of shoes.

"Kai!" The man looked up, and cursed.

"Coming, Rei." He then walked back and half carried, half led Rei towards the front door, pulling his shoes on for him and pushed the neko-jin out, hot on his heels.

"Lock the door!" Kai stopped, cursing, produced a key and managed to lock the door on his third attempt. He then picked his husband up and carried him down the four sets of stairs, cursing that they hadn't chosen a ground floor apartment.

Kai didn't put Rei down until they reached their car, and it wasn't even on the ground, Kai sat him down in the front seat of the car. He then got in the car himself and speeded down the roads towards the hospital. "Kai? Calm down, he's alright. He just went into premature labour, it happens all the time. There's nothing wrong. He's alright, the baby's alright. Calm down. Everybody's alright." Intertwining their fingers, Rei's calm, relaxing aurora and soft spoken words slowly made Kai calm, taking deep breaths. "Shh, I know, I know."

"…and they wonder why I love you…" Rei purred at Kai's words, fangs peaking out, closed his eyes and dozed the fifteen or so minutes it took to reach the hospital.

The Russian sighed soflty, stopping the car. He brought a hand up to Rei's face, lightly caressing. "Kitten?"

Kai was most reluctant to bother his beautiful sleeping mate, he looked so…"Mm…" Comfortable.

"Wake up, were there." Golden eyes fluttered open, and he waited for Kai to help him out of the car. He could get up by himself, but cars were difficult, and it took forever. Besides, Kai was more than willing to help him.

Slipping into Kai's arms, they made their way to the reception as fast as possible. "Hi, we're-" The nurse behind the dish snapped into attention immediately, waving to another nurse behind the couple who produced a wheelchair in no time.

"Don't worry Mr., we'll take care of your wife, when did the contractions start?" Kai blinked.

"…_contraction_?"

Rei was pushed into the wheelchair and halfway down the hallway before it clicked. "Wait! Kai!" The nurses were talking, throwing medical terms to their left and right when Kai finally caught up with them.

"Nurse. My _husband_ is most definitely not in labour." Kai tapped his foot impatiently.

The women gasped, hastily releasing the wheelchair. "Oh. We're terribly sorry, sir!"

Rei smiled, easily charming the middle-aged nurses, and aimed an annoyed glare at Kai. "It's alright. If I really were in labour your efficiency would've been most welcome. Our friends came in earlier today, Kuznetsov?"

The nurses exchanged wary looks. "The red haired man?"

"Yes, is-"

"Room 301, one floor up, on the left. May I please have the wheelchair back, sir?" There was a beeping sound, and suddenly the nurses rushed back towards the reception, leaving the Hiwataris on their own. With the wheelchair.

"Well then Kai, what are you waiting for? Push!"

"Can't you walk?"

"Nope. This wheelchair is most comfortable, my feet hurt and my back is aching. Now push!"

"As you wish, Mrs Hiwatari." Smirking, Kai steered Rei towards the elevators.

"I'm pregnant, and it's all your fault!" Sighing, the Russian dedicated the elevator trip to sway Rei out of his hormonal outburst. "I hate you!"

* * *

Halting, Kai and Rei found themselves staring at a white door, with a small rectangular yellow sign in the upper left corner. There, clearly written, the numbers 301 proudly stood. Rei knocked, and anxiously they waited for someone to let them in. 

A tired, distant but happy looking Boris opened the door, his eyes holding a faraway, disbelieving gleam. "Come in…" A waver to his voice. As if he was caught in a dream.

Kai's hold on the wheelchair tightened, his knuckles turning white, and slowly pushed himself and Rei into the room after the older Russian.

Yuriy was lying in the bed, hair in disarray, leaning against the raised headboard. There was a bundle in his arms. A small bundle wrapped in a baby blue blanket. "He's so small…" The redhead smiled patiently at his husband.

"I know Boris, he's just a baby." The lavender haired man turned towards Kai and Rei, a serious expression on his face.

"I'm a dad."

Rei caught Yuriy's amused/worried look, and slowly got onto his feet, his too large stomach for his small frame making it harder. "Borya? How about a cup of coffee?" Boris nodded, then frowned. "Don't worry, Yuriy and the baby won't go anywhere. They'll be safe, Kai won't leave them." Talking slowly, Rei led the newly made father towards the cafeteria, speaking softly.

"Kai, would you like to meet your nephew?" Kai nodded, not trusting his voice and edged his way to the bed.

There, nestled in Yuriy's arms, was the smallest little creature he'd ever seen. Big, clear blue eyes, almost identical to the man's holding him, stared up at him. The baby gurgled, cooing, waving a small hand in the air.

Kai's voce came in the sound of a broken whisper. "Yuriy…" His hand came to hover just above the baby, who grabbed one of the fingers, pulling at it. "He's beautiful…"

"Would you like to hold him, Kai?" Kai looked away, hesitant.

"I don't know, I-" Yuriy laughed softly.

"Here, hold him like this, like I'm holding him. See?" Kai nodded, then carefully took the offered baby from his best friend's arms. "Under his head, support it, and cradle the body- Yeah, like that. You'll be a wonderful dad."

Kai's face held a somewhat disbelieving look filled with wonder, as he held the small life for the first time. "He's so little…" The baby gurgled, waving his arms in the air, kicking slightly. "What are you naming him?"

"When Borya comes around, I'll let you know…"

* * *

_22/4 2006, midnight._

Rei was dozing on the couch, curled up in a big, soft blanket. Mishmash snuggled up to his chest, purring contently, just a notch lower then Rei's.

"Here." A cup of hot chocolate was carefully placed on the small table, just within reach for Rei.

"Thank you. Come here." Kai smiled, standing up from the armchair he's seated himself in and laid down next to Rei instead, placing his head on Rei's belly, accommodating the blanket to cover the both of them instead. The cat meowed, shifting, tail swishing, annoyed. The neko-jin grinned, pulling her back on his chest. He heard Kai chuckle, and felt his baby moving to kick in response.

"Hey baby…" Kai pressed a gentle kiss to the clothed stomach.

"You like that, don't you?"

"Mm…it's my baby too, you know? And you feel it all the time…" The baby kicked again, landing soft blows on Kai's cheek. "I just can't seem to get over the amazingness…there's a baby in there. Our baby."

"We'll see the baby tomorrow, at the doctor's…that's…"

Kai sighed, brining a hand, softly stroking. "I know…it kicks an awful lot doesn't it?" Rei nodded, running his hand through Kai's hair. "Isn't difficult-?"

"Oh it is…it keeps me from sleeping at times, as you know. But it's worth it. I think."

"You _think? _Don't you want the baby? I thought-" Kai swallowed, nervous.

"Of course I do! I just meant, seeing Yuriy with his baby, and Boris'…childlike-seriousness today…it must be worth it, and we're not there yet, so I can only hope and believe for now. Seeing our baby for the first time, holding it, hear the first word…" Rei sniffed, voice becoming choked with emotions.

"The first step…reading bedtime stories…" A smiled grazed the Russian's face.

"I want my baby, Kai!"

"I know you do, love…I want it too…"

* * *

_2/7 2006, breakfast time._

Rei laughed. "I know Yuriy, That's so-" The Chinese man winced, rubbing his stomach, _damn, that was a hard kick._ "That's typical him." Nodding, Yuriy threw Rei a calculating glance, then slowly put Mishka down in his crib, stroking the tuft of vibrant red hair.

"Rei?"

"I'm alright." _Ow._ Gasping, Rei clutched the railing to the baby's bed tightly, unconsciously rubbing his stomach. Icy blue eyes narrowed in his direction and Yuriy swiftly led Rei towards an armchair standing in a corner of the nursery.

"Sit." The redhead winced as Rei squeezed his hand tightly. "Deep breaths, deep breaths. I'll phone an ambulance. Alright?" The neko-jin nodded, a nervous panicky expression on his face. "Everything's alright, just stay calm and take deep, slow breaths."

"Yu-" Rei breathed out loudly, panting slightly and clutched the redhead's forearm tight with his hands, digging his nails in.

"Sh, relax. You're making it worse by stressing, just relax. Shh…the baby won't come for another couple of hours, you know that. Breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth…there you go. Just stay calm." Rei nodded, and desperately tried to calm down, managing quite well considering the circumstances, and smiled shakily at Yuriy, who nodded. "There you go Rei. Just focus on your breathing and you'll be fine. I'll be right back, okay?" Rei nodded, reluctant to let go off the Russian. Yuriy smiled, and gently pried Rei's fingers off of him. Kissing his cheek, the redhead slowly walked away, giving Rei a reassuring, calming smile. "It's alright."

"Angel-" Boris halted in the doorway. "Rei?" Having approached the room from the other way, and missed his husband's retreating form, he knew nothing of Rei's condition. The married Hiwatari tried to smile and greet the tall Russian, but a loud gasp was the only sound to escape his lips, as his hands once again flew to grip his stomach, alternating between that and ruining the armrests. "Oh."

"K-Kai." Boris nodded. "Get him." The Russian nodded again, still doing nothing. "Now!" Rei hissed at the stunned Boris, who numbly turned around. "Oh god!"

"Kai!"

"Yeah?" Smiling, the dual haired Russian made his way towards the nursery. He spotted his friend standing in the doorway, and glanced in over his shoulder. A gentle smile grazed his features at the sight of the two months old baby gurgling happily.

"Kai, baby." He gazed curiously at Boris, then followed his stare, and froze on the spot.

"Ah! Kai…" Kai just stared dumbly at Rei, his mind unable to grasp the fact that his nine months pregnant husband was in labour.

"Kai? Boris?" Two pair of eyes swirled towards him.

"Baby." Yuriy sighed, a soft smile playing on his lips.

"Ah. Shock." _Kai was going to be like that. _Walking forwards the last couple of feet, Yuriy stroked the side of his oldest friends face, and slapped him. Hard. "Snap out of it Kai, your husband's in labour."The redhead then slapped his husband as well, who snapped out off it enough to grab Mishka, clothing him in outside clothes and a blanket.

Kai nodded, still with that childish look full of wonder and shock on his face. "Rei." The redhead smiled, obviously amused.

"Yes, Rei. The ambulance is on its way." Rei sighed, relived, and Kai finally walked over and kneeled beside his lover.

"Baby."

Just then, the baby kicked particularly hard, and Rei groaned. "Augh! Dammit, that hurt!" Kai yelped as well. The neko-jin had latched on to Kai's hand the minute it came within reach, and squeezed _hard_.

* * *

_Same day, early evening._

"K-Kai!" Watery, beaming, exhausted golden eyes focused on his husband, a small screaming, red-faced, squirming baby in his arms. "W-We have a baby…"

_Thump!_

"Kai!" Rei cried panicked, rocking the baby.

"Oh dear," An old nurse smiled, clearly used to passing out fathers. "Would someone please rouse the father and show him his baby boy and husband?" A young nurse nodded, and swiftly, with the help of another male nurse, placed Kai on the vacant bed beside Rei's. The young female then waved something under Kai's nose, who started to groan softly, before the crimson eyes flew open.

"Rei?"

"Over here Kai…"

The Russian's head turned towards his husband, and the small bundle in his arms…"Our baby…" Kai struggled into a sitting position, before unsteadily stumbling towards Rei. Curious blue eyes stared up at him unblinkingly. "It's so tiny…"

"It's a boy Kai. Not an 'it'" Kai's eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

"A boy? W-We have a son?" The neko-jin nodded. A Proud, but tired, smile on his face.

"Yes. A perfectly healthy baby boy."

"He has blue eyes…" The Russian stared at his son in wonder, taking in every little detail, the tuft of black and blue hair, the catlike shape of the eyes and the slightly pointed ears.

"All newborns do, they'll fade into their true colour soon enough, like Mishka's did, remember?" He nodded, biting his lip hesitantly.

"Rei…" Rei chuckled silently.

"Here." Kai smiled widely, and shakily held his son for the first time.

"H-He's so tiny…" He sniffled as a few tears made it down his face. "W-What are we going to name him?"

"I don't know…" Rei yawned, blinking. "I-I thought maybe Cheng, as a middle name…"

Kai nodded. "Sasha."

"Sasha Cheng Hiwatari…beautiful, just like him. I like it, it fits…" Kai hummed, gazing down at the baby, who was starting to cry.

"What's wrong?"

"He's probably hungry, here," The nurse handed Kai a bottle of formula. "Try and feed him." Taking hold of the bottle, and carefully balancing his child with only one arm, Kai held the bottle just above Sasha's mouth.

The crying lessened, and big eyes blinked up at his daddy in confusion, who placed the bottle by the baby's lips. Instantly small hands attempted to grip the bottle, curling, sucking greedily; the baby evidently was very hungry.

It was with a warm heart Rei fell asleep, his husband's soft voice and son's gurgles lulling him.

* * *

_3/7 2006, lunchtime._

Kai smiled, rocking his newborn baby, and gazed at his napping husband, still exhausted from yesterday's procedure. The door opened behind him, and Kai lazily turned around, expecting Yuriy and Boris. Who he saw made his insides freeze. "Grandfather?"

The stern old man nodded, sneering slightly, and moved forwards to Kai and the baby, who was gurgling happily, unknowing and unaffected by the cold atmosphere the room had taken. "I forgot they were that small." Forgetting momentarily that the man was his grandfather, Kai smirked proudly.

"Yeah…it's because of the neko-jin blood. Rei said their babies had a tendency to be…smaller." Hesitating only for a second, Kai continued. "It's a boy."

The cold eyes took on a satisfied gleam. "Have you named him?"

Kai hummed. "Sasha Cheng Hiwatari." His grandfather nodded, raising his hand, he stroked the baby's head with surprising gentleness, looking peculiarly disgusted while doing it.

"The box by the door is filled with your old toys, make good use of them and keep me informed, boy."

"I will." Kai's eyes widened a fraction in surprise, and his mouth curled upwards in a sincere, albeit small, smile.

"Hn." The man halted, Sasha had grabbed a hold of one if his fingers, gurgling happily he waved it back and fro in the air, sounds of nonsense leaving the small lips.

"Wa-wa!"

"Kai?" Startled, the men turned, coming face to face with the wide-eyed neko-jin lying on the bed. "What's he-"

Sasha's gurgling stopped, and he put the finger he was holding into his mouth. "What's with babies and putting everything in their mouths?" Growling, Voltaire pried his finger loose, only to have the small child's eyes tear up. "Here." Kai stared wide-eyed at the offered stuffed animal toy in his grandfather's hand.

"…Kiska…" Sasha cooed happily, waving his small hands towards the obviously loved old cat.

"Boy." Kai nodded, and reached out for the toy, holding it in front of his baby.

Staring with surprisingly soft eyes at the baby, Kai's grandfather spoke up one last time before leaving. "He has your mother's nose." He turned, and strode out of the room, pausing in the doorway, a sour glare fixed at his grandson. "You did well, boy."

Then the door was shut and the only thing left from his visit was a box of toys and the stuffed cat Kai had loved as a child, given to him by his parents.

"Kai?" The neko-jin's voice once again cut through Kai's thoughts.

"Yeah?"

"What was your grandfather doing here?" The question was apprehensive, and Rei held out his arms, silently demanding to hold his baby. Kai slowly walked over and placed their child in Rei's awaiting arms.

"He came to see Sasha…" Turning, Kai walked towards the box and picked it up, placing it on the chair next to Rei's bed.

With trembling fingers Kai pushed the box open. In a jumbled mess lay Kai's old beloved toys, a couple of old photo frames with pictures in them and an album. Picking up one of the frames with shaking hands, his breathing hitched.

There, staring up at him was the familiar, smiling face of his mother, snuggled up to his equally happy father. The five years old Kai was laughing, sitting in his mother's lap, clutching an all too familiar stuffed cat.

"Kai, did we just see- Kai?" Sniffling, Kai wiped his eyes and turned towards Yuriy.

"Yeah?" His voice was thick with emotion, eyes red rimmed and tearful.

"Oh…" Silently, Yuriy walked over and hugged Kai. "We'll go visit their graves tomorrow, alright?" Kai sniffled, and nodded.

"I just…. I didn't expect him to have saved-" He cut himself off, shaking his head. "I-I- He, he never-" Closing his eyes, the crimson eyed man composed himself. "He never mentioned them, not even once…"

* * *

Ne? 

Yoshi is a Japanese exclamation, roughly meaning, ok! Alright!

Okaerinasai means welcome home.

Next time, look into the future ;) (I'm in a good mood.)

Well, let's see. Rei's ill, Kai's worried, Sasha's talking, and the doctor…? It's a rather short chapter, but it's quite juicy ;)

Now, R&R. Please? Have to know if you like it, you know. ;)


	5. Papa, daddy, baby

What can I say? I'm sorry about the delay though. Just me being lazy. Too lazy to edit an already existing chapter. I'll blame it on work. Going from having to spend approximately two hours a day in school, to working every day between nine and six…boy am I ever tired!

Papa, daddy, baby.

* * *

_14/11 2007, morning. _

"Daddy! Daddy!"

The sound of small unsteady feet running in his direction down the hallway made Kai slow down slightly, before coming to a completestop outside his and Rei's bedroom. "Hey Sasha." Smiling, Kai bent down and scooped up his son, ruffling the navy blue and black hair, and walked into the room.

"Daddy! Papa sicky!" The toddler flung out his arms, demonstrating the importance.

"Papa? What's wrong with him?" Still smiling softly, Kai grabbed a brush and sorted out his son's mess for a hair.

"Papa pukey."

"He threw up?"

"Ya, ya! Nasty!" Kai hummed, putting it off as child's play, and placed Sasha on the bed, gently taking of the child's pyjamas and redressing him in normal everyday clothes.

"Hungry?" The toddler nodded vigorously. "Hmm…does Sasha want pancakes today?"

The mottled golden and crimson depths lit up. "Yaya!"

"Alright then, tiger. Come on." Standing, Kai helped Sasha down on the ground.

"Daddy!" Sasha raised his arms. "Uppie!"

Mock glaring, Kai picked his son up. "You can walk on your own, little one."

"Uh-uh! High!" Sasha threw his hands up in the air.

"High?"

"Hai Hai!" Kai bent down, tossing Sasha up in the air, and catching him. He squealed, clapping his hands delighted. Chuckling, Kai walked to the kitchen, only to find it empty. Normally Rei would already be in here.

"Rei?" Calling out softly for his husband, Kai set Sasha down in his highchair.

"Silly daddy, papa sicky!" Kai flicked Sasha's nose, the toddler's eyes crossing to look at the finger.

"So papa's ill?" A vigorous nod.

"Saa see!"

Kai raised an eyebrow. "You saw him?" Another proud nod. Kai narrowed his eyes, leaning down to press his nose against Sasha's. "And you didn't tell daddy?" Sasha gasped, eyes widening, hands flying up to cover his mouth. He shrieked, squealing with laughter as one of Kai's hands tickled his small tummy.

"Daaddyyy!" Kai chuckled, stilling his hand. The small boy blinked, raising his hands, lips forming a pout. "Kissie, daddy." Red eyes softening, he bent down, placing a sloppy kiss on Sasha's mouth, who giggled in delight. "Nosey!" Kai grinned, bending down again and rubbed their noses together, Sasha giggling the whole while.

"Do you think you can sit still here alone? While daddy goes to the bathroom?" Sasha nodded, grinning, small fang peaking out. Kissing the toddler's forehead, Kai deliberately walked slowly towards the bathroom. "Alright then. Sit still, tiger, daddy'll be right back."

Sasha turned his head around, and immediately shook it, hands tugging against the bar keeping him in the chair. His daddy was walking away. Sasha's eyes widened, lip trembling. "Daddy!" Crying out, the small child's arms reached out for him. Kai turned towards his upset child. "Daddy!"

Kai turned back, standing by Sasha's side, gentle smile playing on his lips. "Daddy just has to check on papa."

"Papa?" The toddler calmed down slightly, sniffing. "Papa sickey." He informed, voice slightly unsteady.

"Yes, papa's ill, and daddy has to check on him." Kai rubbed his son's back, and Sasha purred softly. "I'll make pancakes for you the minute I get back."

"Pomse?"

"Promise." Kai laid a spoon on the table attached to the highchair, kissing the small forehead, before leaving the kitchen to find Rei, smiling at his son's excited behaviour about the shiny spoon.

"Ya, ya! Shiny, shiny! Daddy!" Kai turned around, returning the excited wave sent his way. "Kissie papa!" The older Russian nodded, smirking.

Kai frowned, smirk vanishing as he neared the bathroom, opening the door to the bathroom, knowing Rei had to be in there. "Rei?" A weak groan was his response. "Rei! What's wrong?" Speaking worriedly, Kai hurried in, finding Rei curled up on the bathroom rug in front of the toilet.

A bleary golden eye looked up at Kai. "Hey…I don't feel so good." Kai kneeled next to Rei, who instantly snuggled up to him, putting his head in his husband's lap. "Feeling better already…"

Kai pulled him closer, hand finding its way to the still un-braided hair. "Rei…"

"Don't worry Kai, I'll be alright…I'm not ill." Kai's fingers stilled in his hair. "Not ill? You just threw up!"

"I-I know." Rei sat up, happy that the nausea had worn off. "I've been throwing up for the past week or so, Kai."

The Russian was incredulous. "_What_!" How hadn't he noticed?

Smiling weakly, Rei bit his lip. He reached for Kai's hand, placing it on his lower abdomen. "Remember?"

Kai frowned, thinking. _What about his stomach? It's the same as always, ever since Sasha-_ Kai's eyes widened. "You- You-!"

"Yes?" Glancing upwards, he met Kai's shocked stare. "We're having a baby, Kai."

_Thump!_

Rei groaned, _not again!_ "And here I was thinking your passing out episodes were out of the picture… Kai? Wake up, love. Kai? Hey…" Kai's red eyes slowly opened.

"Nngh…Rei?"

"Yeah, can you stand?" Nodding, Kai slowly stood, leaning on the sink. Rei watched from where he was seated on the floor, before slowly rising himself, and thankfully noted that he didn't feel the urge to empty his stomach's content further.

"You're pregnant? Again?" Smiling softly, Rei stroked Kai's cheek.

"Yeah…" Kai hugged him, hard and long. Not bothering to ask how, since he was very, _very_ well _aware_ of how exactly _that_ happened.

"I love you, Rei. I love you…you're bloody fantastic…" Kai raised his head, and just like last time, his eyes were shimmering with tears. "When?"

"Around April, May I think…I don't know. I have an appointment with the doctor tomorrow. We'll find out then…" Kai nodded, thinking back, remembering a _spectacular_ night spent in Italy on their first real holiday with Sasha. Sasha loved the sun and sand, but feared the water, and at night, after a certain energy packet's bedtime…Kai grinned, eyes clouding. Crisp, white bed sheets, sunburned, tanned, soft, beckoning skin and alluring, passionate golden eyes… Tilting his head down, he went to kiss Rei, but Rei held up a hand, hindering him. "As much as I love you, I don't think kissing me just after I threw up is a very good idea." Rei glared, lips pursed. "And get your mind out if the gutter!" Chuckling, Kai nodded.

"…just as long as you make up for it later." He winked, throwing Rei a suggestive smirk. "…besides, I better go make those pancakes I promised Sasha. A spoon can only be entertaining for so long." Stroking Rei's stomach softly, Kai smiled once more before he left.

Rei stared after him, a happy, exasperated expression on his face. He grinned when the first cry of _Daddy!_ Reached his ears. Chuckling, Rei set about brushing his teeth. Maybe he should wear his hair down tonight…

* * *

_15/11, mid-afternoon._

"No, Sasha, not in you mouth. Here." Rei held out his hand, and Sasha obediently spit the rock he put in his mouth out in Rei's hand. "Rocks are not food, alright?"

"Ya, ya! Yucky!" The toddler squealed, clapping his hands.

"Yes, yucky." Rei smiled, and searched his pockets for a toy. "Here, take this instead." He produced a squishy toy for Sasha, only to discover it was too late. The little child was contentedly chewing away on Rei's braid.

Kai chuckled. "Never tell a kid what to do…" He reached for the rock in Rei's hand, depositing it back to the flower pot it came from.

"I know…" Rei absentmindedly rubbed his stomach. Kai's eyes softened, taking a hold of his hand.

"How are you feeling?"

"I don't know…nervous, I guess. What are we supposed to tell Sasha?"

He let go of Rei's hand in favour of slipping an arm around him, hugging Rei closer to himself on the couch, waiting for their turn in the doctor's waiting room. "That the family is expecting a new member?" Rei glared.

"No. We're having a baby." He held up a finger before Kai could open his mouth. "At least he'll _understand_ that." Kai narrowed his eyes. The neko-jin grinned triumphantly, yellow eyes twinkling.

"Mr. and Mrs.- Oh! Hiwatari, this way, please." Smiling, Rei averted his gaze from Kai's, and picked Sasha up, following the blushing nurse. The Russian smirked, shaking his head slightly, and rose to follow, trailing behind them.

"Here, the door on your right. If you please step inside the doctor will be with you shortly." The nurse smiled embarrassedly, still blushing.

"Thank you." Rei's kind smile seemed to make her feel slightly better.

"Ya, ya. Sbasba!" Sasha beamed happily, before rediscovering Rei's hair, and promptly pulled at it, putting it in his mouth.

Kai snickered and turned to the young nurse. "Happens all the time, miss." Nodding, she quickly sped down the corridor. "Sasha, don't put everything in your mouth." Kai said, gently prying Rei's hair free from his mouth.

"Ya, ya!" Came Sasha's standard response, and held out his arms towards Kai, who gladly took him. "Daddy! Pwetty papa." Then the bundle of joy gasped, hiding his face in Kai's chest.

"Hm?"

"The doctor." Rei pointed behind Kai, where a middle-aged man stood, a kind smile on his face.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. I'm Doctor Petrova, pleased to meet you." Shaking Rei's hand, he nodded to Kai's as a greeting. "Mr. Hiwatari I assume, the both of you. And who might the little one be?"

"Sasha. He tends to be a bit shy with strangers."

"That's to be expected, I suppose. Children often are. Now, which one of you is it? You?" He nodded towards Kai, who shook his head, nodding in Rei' direction. "Ah." The doctor nodded, deep in thought. "Let's see. Lay down and pull up your shirt." Complying, Rei lay on the hospital bed, his shirt pulled up. "You're a neko-jin, correct?" The doctor made a tsking noise with his teeth, frowning.

"Yeah."

"And you've already had young Sasha here, yes?" The doctor pulled out a notebook, scribbling down every- and anything Rei said, every now and then checking Rei's hospital file for finer details and more precise facts.

"That's right. He's one year and four months now."

"Mm, and the pregnancy happened naturally? No doctors involved?"

"Well, yeah…the other way would've been to expensive, and-" The man's expression lightened slightly, as if relieved.

"And they would never have allowed you to go through with it, because of you height, weight, blood pressure and heritage, am I correct?"

"Yes…they said it would be too dangerous. But nothing happened, I mean there was a slight complication involving Sasha's birth, he was a bit early, but everything turned out alright." Rei frowned softly, biting his lip.

The doctor looked up from his writing, gesticulating with his pen. "Hm, well, they would. Medically creating a womb could be dangerous, maybe even fatal. Because neko-jin are part cat, your body will automatically try and 'push away' any other tissue than that from another blood related, matching neko-jin." He paused, looking between Kai and Rei. "The doctors you spoke with never mentioned it?"

"No. They didn't." Grumbling, Kai glared at a spot on the wall. Until Sasha decided that Kai's bangs was the next meal to be had.

"It doesn't matter anymore, you know now, besides, a natural pregnancy is a natural pregnancy. Very similar to a woman's, no worries there. So, Mr. Hiwatari-" He turned back to Rei.

"Rei, please. It gets so confusing otherwise." The man nodded.

"Alright then, Rei," The doctor smiled, putting emphasis on the name. "When did you first notice?"

The neko-jin bit his lip, thinking. The nausea had first come when he'd made Sasha breakfast…scones, with raisins. "About a week ago or so, maybe a little earlier…" Sasha hadn't liked the raisins.

"Mm, how did you notice?" Writing fast, the doctor nodded, deep in thought.

Re blinked, waving his hand in the air, trying to put into words the _completeness_, and the, difference, for lack of a better word, he felt going on inside of him. "Morning sickness. And I-I _feel_ different…more full, complete, at peace in a way…I recognised the feeling." Dr. Petrov nodded, feeling and probing slightly at Rei's abdomen.

"Does it hurt?"

"No…a bit uncomfortable, but it doesn't hurt." Rei watched with wary eyes as the man rolled up his shirt sleeve, and cleaned his arm with some antiseptic.

"Now, I'm just going to take a blood sample, then I'll use it for a normal pregnancy test. Standard procedure."

"…I don't like needles." Rei whispered quietly, watching the needle with fear as it moved closer, face white as a sheet. "Kai!" Crying out, Rei immediately latched on to Kai the minute he caught sight of him.

"Shh, it'll be alright, hey, look at me." Kai was kneeling on the other side of the bed, with Sasha in his arms, his and red golden eyes starring at him, evidently scared.

"Papa?" How does one act brave in front of your child when faced with one of your greatest fears?

"I'm fine…hey." Rei pulled at his hair, freeing it from where it was trapped under his body.

"Ya, ya! Haiy!"

Rei locked his gaze with his lover, absolutely terrified. "Please…" His whimper escaped the child's notice, who happily continued to suck on his braided hair. Kai heard it, stroking Rei's cheek, and he leaned closer and slowly kissed his lover. Rei melted, then suddenly squeaked.

"Don't move, relax. Shh, it'll be alright…Dr. Petrov just needs a little more, then he's done. Just another second, love." Soft lips moved against his own, offering comfort. Opening his eyes, he focused on how much Kai resembled a raccoon in such a close proximity, eyes larger than ever. Rei stared terrified at Kai, wincing and clutching Kai's hand tight with his own. Kai looked rather cute as a raccoon. And then it was over, needle removed.

"There we go Rei, I'll just take this and test it, it shouldn't take long. In the mean time, relax and wait here." Petrov nodded, capping the needle, and walked out of the room.

Rei smiled weakly. "Kai?" _I want my raccoon_.

The Russian sat down on the side of the hospital bed. "Yes, love?"

"Kiss." The slightly older man chuckled, but gave in to Rei's wish, kissing him softly on the mouth. "You look like a raccoon up close, honey." He mumbled against Kai's lips. Deepening the kiss, he efficiently erased Kai's sour expression about being called a raccoon. And honey.

Sasha looked up from his chewing at the smacking sounds and squealed. "Kissie! Ya, ya!" The men broke away, startled.

"Sasha, come 'ere." Rei held out his arms, helping the toddler to crawl over and lay on the older neko-jin's chest.

"Saa kissie!" Laughing, Rei planted a wet, sloppy kiss on the toddler's cheek, who squealed in delight.

Rei's eyes misted, watching his son's wide, beaming smile and his joyful laughter. "I still can't believe it sometimes, you know?" Kai nodded.

"When grandfather found out…I-I thought for sure he'd do something…"

"I know…I was terrified, I thought he'd take-" Kai kissed him.

"Stop. Don't even go there. I love you, I love Sasha, I love the new life inside of you. I promised you the day I married you that I would never leave you. Till death do us part, remember? I wouldn't let anything or anyone come between us, Rei." Bright eyes stared at each other. Rei opened his mouth to speak, blinking back hormone and fear induced tears.

"Daddy! Down!" Rei jumped, as did Kai.

"Oh, Jesus! You scared me, Sasha…" Kai put the toddler on the ground, heart still in his throat. Children could scream rather loud at unexpected times.

"Sweeties panda!" And they did blurt out the strangest things more often than not. Kai and Rei blinked at each other. Shaking his head, Kai settled back down on the hospital bed, with Rei snuggled up against him like the cat he was. Together, they watched their firstborn play with Kiska, the battered old cat, talk to himself, saying words of nonsense, half made up and nonexistent.

The door opened silently, revealing the doctor. Smiling he closed it behind him, and sat down in the chair across from the bed. "Well, papas, I have good news. Rei truly is pregnant, about two months along, so by May there will be an addition to your family." The Hiwataris smiled. The doctor had confirmed it, making it more real than it already was. "I would like you to make an appointment with the secretary outside, have it scheduled a month from now, and I'll see you then, alright?" Nodding, they all stood up, and Rei once again gathered Sasha in his arms, Kiska in a tight grip.

* * *

_5/1 2008, early afternoon._

Sasha blinked, small hands pushing at the offending object hindering him from hugging his papa properly. Rei startled when he felt Sasha press against his growing swell. "Papaaaaa!" The toddler whined, frustrated expression on his face. "Take 'way!" Small fists hammered. Gently, Rei took hold of them, tilting Sasha's sulking face up to meet his gaze.

"Do you remember when daddy and I told you about the new baby?" He nodded petulantly, holding out his hands.

"Want hug!" Rei obliged, holding the small, warm body closer to himself. "No!" Sasha wriggled, hands once again pushing at Rei's stomach. "Off!"

"Sasha!" Sasha shrank back, bottom lip trembling.

"I Sowy, papa!" The neko-jin sighed, eyes softening. He lifted the hem of his sweater, exposing his pregnant stomach to Sasha.

"I can't take it away." He took hold of Sasha's hand, tenderly pressing it against the bump. "The baby needs a safe place to grow big and strong, and the baby decided my tummy was the best place in the world." Guiding Sasha's hand, he gently patted his stomach. "You have to be gentle and soft, Sasha, so the baby won't be scared." The toddler nodded, face serious, patting gently like his papa instructed.

It wasn't long before he grew bored, and stood on wobbly legs on Rei's thighs, reaching for Rei's hair. Frustrated that he couldn't reach, Sasha went to hit, raising his hand. He stopped, gasping, looking horrified at Rei, their faces almost on the same level. "Papa! Daddyyy! Daddy!"

"Yes, Sasha?" Came Kai's voice from the kitchen, soft footsteps approaching.

"Papa owie!"

Kai walked in sitting next to Rei on the couch. "Papa's hurt?" Sasha nodded, jabbing the stomach. His eyes widened, and he hurriedly withdrew the finger, patting several times. Sasha gasped again, pulling his hand back. Mottled eyes filled with tears.

"Saa sowy!"

Rei cooed, laughing softly. "Oh sweetie, it's alright. It's just the baby moving, talking to us." He gathered Sasha in his arms, holding him close, softly patting the two toned hair. "Since it can't come out yet, the baby wants to show how much it likes us." Sasha sniffled, calming down. "Here…" Rei took a small hand, holding it against his stomach. "That's just your baby sister or brother saying hi."

"…baby?" Rei nodded. "Daddy?"

Kai smiled softly, placing his hand over Sasha's smaller. "The little one." The round face split up in an impossible wide grin, eyes sparkling. Proudly, he placed a sloppy kiss on the protruding bellybutton.

"Hi baby! I Saa!"

* * *

... 

I was a bit hesitant about this chapter. But well. Done is done.

Make my day and R&R, please. :)


	6. Time

I've realised I don't quite like this story anymore. Nevermind. Probably had the document up too long. Next time I'll do something a bit more manageable.

This is the last chapter. Well. There is an epiouloge too. It'll be up in about two weeks or so. When I come home from Croatia. _...the women..._

Time.

* * *

"No!" Rei shrunk back, arms folding themselves over his stomach. The glaring eyes of his oppressor narrowed, and suddenly Rei flew backwards. "Iie!" 

"Abominable." A cold voce spoke up from behind Rei, stopping his fall, hauling him upright by his collar.

"He's a disgusting fag!"

Cold grey eyes narrowed, glaring hatefully towards the two close-minded neko-jin. "This _fag_ happens to be my grandson's husband. I suggest you disappear from my sight before I decide the earth has suffered through enough of your pathetic idiotism."

Startled, the man stared at the stranger, then he huffed, sneering, and stalked away.

The minute he was out of sight, Rei breathed out, hugging his stomach in worry, _what if-? _"Snap out of it, brat. _It_ is alright." Rei stared hesitantly at Kai's grandfather, a hint of fear underlying it.

"But-"

The old man glared at him, and Rei instantly fell quiet. "Are you done?" The neko-jin nodded, and silently followed him towards the line. When it became their turn to pay, Rei didn't even dare to object as Voltaire paid for his food.

"Thank you, sir."

"Hn." Taking hold of the bags, Rei walked where Kai's grandfather told him to, and obediently put the food in the back of his car. He opened the passenger door and got in, letting the cold stare guide him.

They drove in silence. Somehow, Rei wasn't surprised that the old man knew where they lived. It unnerved him slightly that he knew so much about them, without ever speaking to them. Last time they met was at…Rei's brow furrowed in thought. It must've been in church, when Sasha was baptised last summer. As if sensing his thoughts, the baby kicked, making Rei sigh happily and rub his stomach. His baby was alright.

Voltaire glared at him. "It kicked." Nodding, the stoic old man looked back at the road, taking the next left and slowed down in front of Rei's apartment complex. Voltaire turned off the car, and more or less threw Rei out of it. Opening the trunk, he patiently waited for Rei to pick up the bags, then followed the more and more nervous Rei. "Sir?"

The cold glare sent in his direction told Rei not to question the motives of one Voltaire Hiwatari, and continued to trudge up the stairs. Sighing with relief when the apartment door came in sight, Rei almost sprinted towards it. His back was starting to feel the effects of walking around too long while carrying heavy bags in his pregnant state.

Feeling the door, he noticed it wasn't locked, and pushed it open, making his way inside and mentally cringed. There were too many shoes in the hall, meaning Boris and Yuriy were over…"Kai, I'm home!"

"Rei? Why didn't you call? I was supposed to come pick you up, don't tell me you walked all the way-" Kai's voice floated from the living room, accompanied by his footsteps, the dual haired Russian stopped abruptly when the front door came in sight. "Grandfather."

"Papa! Lookie, lookie!" Two small toddlers came running in after Kai, proudly holding up paintings, obviously drawn by themselves. "Sasha draw Kiska!" Rei smiled, putting down the grocery bags and looked at his son's drawing of a cat.

"That's very good, Sasha. What did you draw, Mishka?" Rei turned his attention towards the other, more silent and soft-spoken red haired child.

"I drew trees and grass and lakes and stars and clouds and lots and lots of things." Rei nodded, looking at the other drawing.

"That's very pretty," Smiling, he picked the children up. "Now, how about we go back to your papas, Mishka?" The children nodded, telling the neko-jin of their exiting afternoon, leaving Kai and his grandfather alone in the hallway.

Kai and Voltaire glared at each other "What are you doing here?"

The older Hiwatari smirked. "Visiting."

"Visiting? You?" Kai snorted. "You never just _visit._" Bending down, he picked up the bags left by Rei, and walked towards the kitchen, motioning for his grandfather to follow. Ignoring Kai, Voltaire spoke up. "That other brat,"

"Mishka."

"Ivanov's?"

"Yes. What do you want?" Voltaire withdrew three slips of papers from his coat and put them on the table. "Do what you wish with them, I've sent the rest by mail. Goodbye." The grey-haired man nodded, turning around and showed himself out, Pausing in the hallway between the living room and the front door.

"Your poor excuse of a husband let himself be harassed, I suggest you try and do _something_ right." He nodded towards the glaring men standing in the entrance to the kitchen. "Kuznetsov, Ivanov." And then he was gone, out of the apartment and once again leaving the present men with mixed emotions.

"Rei?" Kai hurried towards the living room, leaving his friends in the kitchen. "Rei, are you alright?" The neko-jin sitting on the sofa, looked up, then ran into Kai's arms.

"I don't know what would've happened if your grandfather hadn't been there…"

"What happened?"

"I was shopping, a-and then this _man_ was there…I didn't notice him and he started to badmouth you and me and then he…he pushed me, on m-my stomach. I was so scared…" The last words made Kai's insides freeze. "The baby?"

"It's fine…I think. I-It kicked, so it should be…" Kai felt the fear and tension leave him, and hugged Rei closer, offering whatever comfort he could. "The man?"

"He ran off, your grandfather scared him, I think…"

* * *

_30/1 2008, morning. _

"Now Rei, just lay back and we'll do it like last time, alright?" Rei nodded, and pulled off his shirt, exposing his large stomach. "You're quite big already. If I didn't know you were only five months gone I'd say you were going to give birth any day now."

"I know. I mean, I was this big with Sasha the eighth month."

"Mm…" The doctor turned on the apparatus, and smeared the gel-like substance on Rei's stomach. "Here we go…there it is, looking healthy as usual- Hm?" The doctor frowned, looking closer on the screen. "That's odd…"

"What? Is something wrong? Is my baby alright?" Rei stared intently at the screen as well, but he couldn't see anything different on it, clutching an equally worried Kai's hand in his own.

The doctor smiled gently, and moved the scanner slightly lower on Rei's side. "They are in perfect condition. It would seem you're having twins, gentlemen."

"Really?"

"Yes-"

_Thump._

"Kai! Doctor, help!" The man raised his eyebrows, and put down the scanner.

"Mr. Hiwatari? Sir?" Kai groaned, stirring.

"Kai, love, wake up."

"Rei…m'head hurts." Rei rolled his eyes.

"Then I suggest you stop passing out every time you find out I'm having a baby!"

"Hn. Whatever…" Kai closed his eyes briefly, then snapped them open, sitting in an upright position. "We're having twins?"

"Yes, Mr. Hiwatari. Now, if you sit in the chair next to your husband, I can show you the babies." Kai nodded, and hurriedly moved to sit in the chair, eager to see his babies.

"You don't seem surprised, doctor."

The doctor smiled bashfully. "I'm not. Rei is quite big. I'm just more surprised no one noticed before." He fell silent, moving the scanner for a few seconds before stopping. "There. See that?" Kai and Rei both nodded, looking towards where the man was pointing. "Now, when I move it to the left…"

"Oh…" There, on the screen, were two babies, floating peacefully next to each other. "We're having twins, Rei…"

"I-I know…how- I- This is…" He trailed of, unable to put what he was feeling into words.

"Do you want to know if you're having boys or girls?" Rei and Kai gazed silently at each other for a minute or two, before Rei shook his head.

"No, we liked not knowing last time with Sasha."

"Alright then. Now, just remember to eat plenty and healthily, drink and sleep." Rei nodded.

"Yes, doctor."

* * *

_17/05 2008, late afternoon._

"They're beautiful…" Rei smiled, touching the soft tuft of black hair on his oldest daughter's head.

"I-I know…"

"How's you head?" Kai grimaced, cradling their other baby in his arms.

"I'll have a bump, but I'm fine." The man lying in the hospital bed chuckled softly. "It's not my fault my body decides to shut down every time you present me with a baby!" Kai huffed.

Rei just smiled, then yawned. "We need to name them, Kai…"

"I know."

"I- Would you mind if they have Chinese first names instead of Russian?" Kai shook his head.

"No…Sasha's Russian, and as long as they sound beautiful and fit I don't mind, besides, the names I thought suit better as middle names."

"Oh. Can I hear them?"

"Alright…M-My mama was called Irina and my grandma Nikita, so I thought, maybe, you know? Do you like them?" Rei stared at the baby in his arms, silently contemplating.

"Lei Irina Hiwatari…" He averted his eyes to the navy haired girl sleeping in Kai's arms and nodded slightly. "Jin Nikita Hiwatari…what do you think?"

Kai smiled. "Perfect."

There was a soft knock at the door, and a curious redhead poked his head in. "Can we come in?" Rei nodded.

"It's alright, not too long though."

"Don't worry." Yuriy pushed the door open, and waddled in. "I can't stay too long…it's kicking and kicking, and Boris' worrying worse that a mother hen." Winking, he patted his stomach. "Sasha? Why don't you come in?" Soft, hesitant footsteps were heard, and their son shyly walked into the room, hiding behind Yuriy's legs.

"Daddy? Papa?"

"Hey tiger…come here, do you want to see your sisters?" Nodding, Sasha gripped tight on his uncle's hand, letting Yuriy guide him. With a slight effort, Yuriy put Sasha on the side of Rei's bed, groaning. Curious gold and red mottled eyes stared at the small, sleeping _thing_ in his papa's arms. "What that?"

Smiling, Rei held out the baby slightly, so that both Sasha and Yuriy could see better. "This is a baby, Sasha. Your baby sister, Lei."

"And this," Kai walked closer to Sasha. "Is Jin, your other baby sister."

The boy nodded in wide-eyed wonder. "I big now?"

"You're a big brother now." Yuriy smiled, placing a hand on Kai's shoulder and peeked at the babies.

"Da, big broder."

"They're wonderful…you do realise the h you'll go through?" Rei nodded, then gazed at Yuriy, contemplatively. Curious, he sniffed the air. Oh.

"You're just lucky to be here?" The redhead shrugged guiltily. "Kai, please make sure Boris gets here in one piece as soon as possible, alright? And fetch a nurse on the way out, don't forget to put Jin in her basket first, Lei too." Kai frowned at Rei, then noticed the way Yuriy was holding onto his shoulder, hand clamped down hard, almost painfully on it. "And don't pass out, alright? Your head won't feel good in the morning if you do." Kai gasped, only then realising that he had stopped breathing, and nodded, doing exactly what his husband had told him to do.

"Yuriy, sit." The Russian smiled, and did just that, sitting down in the chair Kai had been using earlier with a heavy groan. "How long?"

"Oh, not that long. I noticed just five seconds before I knocked on the door…must be the hospital air or something." Rei whistled softly.

"You're scheduled to go in June..."

The door opened, and a woman stepped in. "Mr. Hiwatari?" Rei and Yuriy startled.

"Oh, Miss. Dimitrova, do you have a day care centre here or something? For two year olds?" The young nurse nodded. Rei sighed in relief.

"Oh good…I am in no state to look after my son here, and my husband won't be either, my friend here is in labour, and his husband most definitely won't be."

"Oh dear. You should have said something, Mr. Kuznetsov! Come here," She waved at him to get to the vacant bed next to Rei's, and walked over to the small cupboard, pulling out a hospital gown. "Take off your clothes and put this on. Call if you need assistance. I'll be back with a doctor to examine you."

The redhead smirked, winking at the young nurse, who blushed and hurried out of the room. Taking off the trousers would've been easy, but…"Rei, how the hell am I supposed to get my shoes off?"

Rei blinked. "Sasha? Could you help your uncle with his shoelaces?" The toddler nodded, and reached out his arms, waiting for someone to help him down from the hospital bed. Holding onto his trousers, Yuriy slowly waddled over, and eventually managed to get the child down on the ground.

"Come here, Sasha." Together, they walked back to the other bed. Sitting down on it, with his feet on the ground, Yuriy talked the child through the difficult process of untying shoes.

"Tadaa! Sasha do it, papa! Lookie!"

"That's very good, Sasha! Do you think you can pull it off?" Nodding gleefully, he started to pull at one shoe, trying to imitate what his parents did to him every time they had been out, and managed, much to his joy, pull Yuriy's shoe off.

"Papa!"

"Wow, you're a real little master, aren't you? Think you can do it again?" More confident thins time, Sasha started to pull at the other shoe, when it didn't come off, he started to whine. "Papaaa! Heelp!"

"Sasha, try again, and I'll help with my other foot, how's that?" Sniffing, Sasha nodded, and tried again, this time with Yuriy attempting to push it off as well. With a soft thump, Sasha landed on his butt, shoe in hand, and squealed.

"Papa! See, see!" Holding up the other shoe proudly, Sasha looked at Rei, who smiled.

"Very good, Sasha."

Yuriy stood up again, and let his trousers slide down on the ground, and stepped out of them. He pulled off his t-shirt, and dropped it on the floor next to his other garments, and reached for the hospital gown. "Your socks, Yuriy. A-And don't forget, you know." Rei coughed, and looked away.

"Why Rei, I know you want to look really…no need to act coy, kitten." Rei sniffed, but didn't turn around. He flinched when a sock hit his chest, closely followed by its mate that landed on his head. Rei glared, turning to Yuriy, who was smirking, and snapped his head away, blushing furiously.

He could hear the redhead snicker at his expense, and childishly threw the socks back, without looking.

"Rei-Rei, could you help me with the ties?"

* * *

Smiling softly, rocking Jin gently in his arms, he watched as Boris doted on his husband, eyes never leaving Yuriy and their newborn daughter. He was a little bit more coherent this time. "I think it's a beautiful name." 

Yuriy smiled, waiting for Boris. "…Mara…Mara Kuznetsov." He nodded, reaching for the baby. "I like it."

* * *

_11/06 2010, mid-afternoon._

It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the air was warm; a bright, summer's day. Kai and Rei were sitting on a blanket on the ground, leaning against a tree and watching their children play. Lei and Jin were pulling at the grass, making purring, cat-like sounds and mewling with delight when it came lose, and then proceeded to throw it at each other. Their son, Sasha, was playing with Mishka on the playground a couple of feet away. Under heavy surveillance.

"Kai? Rei?" Looking up in surprise, they found the smiling, stunned face of Kyouju looking down on them.

"Kyouju-" Rei's greeting was cut short by the wailing of his oldest daughter, Lei. "Honey, what happened?" In an instant, Rei was kneeling by the small toddler, holding her against his chest. Kai moved just as fast, calming the other twin down, who was starting to cry softly in fright and worry at the sight of her sister.

"P-Papa?" Snivelling, the child held up her arm, where a red swelling was beginning to show.

"Shh. Oh, sweetie…"

"Huwts, p-papa. Make p-pain g-go!" Rei looked at the wound, then to Kai's questioning, worried gaze.

"Looks like a bee sting." Kai nodded, half relieved, and went back to calming the other toddler down.

"Here." Rei looked up in surprise at Kyouju for the second time that day. "It's a painkiller, hold it against the sting. It'll help numb the pain." Nodding, Rei did what Kyouju told him to do, partly out of habit, and partly out of worry.

Mumbling comforting words to Jin, she slowly calmed down. "Daddy, happen Lei?" Kissing her forehead softly, Kai pointed towards the red mark on Lei's arm, rocking his daughter softly.

"She got stung by a bee."

Jin yawned nodding, worn out from her crying and falling more and more asleep by the soft lulling. Purring, her eyes slowly fell shut, her question disappearing in a soft yawn. "Wha…" Kai sighed and carefully put her on the blanket, making sure she was in the shade the tree provided.

"How's Lei?" Gazing worriedly at his other daughter, Kai unconsciously gripped Rei free hand. "What are you doing?"

"Kyouju said that it would take the pain away…" The Russian petted the soft tresses of silky hair away from Lei's forehead. Soon enough, her soft purring vibrated through the air as well, falling asleep much thanks to the lessening of the pain. Rei smiled in relief, and put her next to her sleeping sister, before crawling back to Kai and his old friend, whom he had not seen for years.

"Kyouju…" Not knowing what to say, Rei hugged his old team-mate. "It's so nice to see you again, phone calls and emails just isn't the real thing." He hugged back awkwardly, not a fan of body contact.

"I know what you mean." Pulling back fully, Kyouju shook Kai's hand, knowing that there was no need for a hug. "So that was Lei and Jin? They're beautiful; they look so much like you."

"We know." Kai smirked playfully. Rolling his eyes, Rei hit him.

"Thank you. Not that we aren't happy to see you, but what are you doing here in Russia?"

The younger man's smile dimmed slightly. "I'm here with our old team, what's left of it." Looking up, he met their gazes hesitantly. "I didn't want to bring you the news over phone, but they're holding a reunion here in a week or so, the BBA."

"Oh."

Kai and Rei looked at each other, communicating silently with their eyes, finally, Kai nodded. "All the teams?"

"Yes, but-" Kai smirked knowingly.

"They haven't been able to contact the Neoborg team." Kai shrugged. "They're here."

"Kai, Rei- Kyouju?" The brown haired man whipped around, coming face to face with a redheaded Russian, holding two four year old boys by their hands.

"Y-Yuriy!"

"Red, your daughter-" Boris raised his eyebrows. "Computer kid. Never knew you had eyes."

"Boris." Kyouju's now visible hazel eyes, framed by a pair of rimless glasses, stared at Boris and Yuriy, then at the children held by them. A small girl, lavender haired, and from the looks of it, blue eyed. The boys with Yuriy, one had flaming red hair and Boris' eyes, while the other…"You have children?"

Boris smirked, but Yuriy nodded. "Yeah, this is Mishka, our son," He nodded towards the red haired child. "And the little angel over there is our daughter, Mara." The Japanese smiled.

"And that must be Sasha." The mentioned boy nodded shyly. "I'm Kyouju, I used to be on the same team as your parents." Sasha nodded, letting go of his uncle's hand.

"Papa telled me stories. He saided you were nice."

"Really?" The boy nodded. "How nice of him." Rei smiled.

"I know. I'm a very kind person."

"I know." Kai hugged Rei from behind, hand rubbing his stomach gently. Actions saying more than words.

Giggling and whispering conspiringly, Mishka pushed Sasha towards Kai, urging him to relay a most important matter. "Daddy, Daddy, me hungry, Misha too!"

"What do you want, then?" Kai looked down at the child tugging on his trousers, a soft smirk playing on his face.

The boys grinned, before shouting out almost simultaneously. "Pizza!"

"Of course." Muttering dryly under his breath, Kai looked at the other adults, who tiredly nodded their consent. "Pizza it is then."

"Yay! Thanks daddy!" Sasha bounced and hugged his daddy's leg, then he took Misha's hand and the two children ran off, playing with each other a couple of feet away on the grass and chasing the butterflies.

"Do you want to come, Kyouju?" Smiling gently, the young man nodded.

"Thank you, that'd be nice."

* * *

_14/06 2010, afternoon._

Rei pushed the baby carriage glancing softly at the two girls asleep inside of it, and at the boy walking beside it, holding on to the handle. "Papa? Why they poiting at us?"

"Pointing Sasha." The boy nodded. "Who?"

"Thems!" Rei hummed, following his son's outstretched hand.

"Hitoshi? Brooklyn?"

"Hello, Rei. Nice to see you again. Nice to finally see your children as well. They do look so much like their parents, just like Kyouju said. Are you intending to come to the reunion?" Rei hugged Brooklyn back, and then hugged Hitoshi as well.

"It's wonderful to see you too, Brooklyn! I don't know. We haven't quite decided, and the Russians' will only go if Kai and I go, so- What Sasha?"

The boy tugged on Rei's trousers, staring at the strangers with half frightened eyes. "Who?"

"Do you remember when I told you about my old team?"

"Yes. They wered nasty, and pushed you and daddy away 'cause you loved eachther." Rei smiled, picking his son up, setting him against his hip and Sasha immediately looped his small arms around his neck.

"Mm. Do you remember what I told you about Hitoshi and Brooklyn?"

"Da…they wered nice and cuties." Ignoring the small blush covering his cheeks, Rei pointed at the couple.

"The one with blue hair is Hitoshi, and the man with orange is Brooklyn."

"They married like you and daddy?" Rei nodded, gently rocking the sleeping toddlers in the carriage to keep them from waking. "Oh! Me and Misha marry too!"

"You don't always marry the one you first think, tiger. If that were true, I would've been married to Mao." Sasha's grin transformed into a horror filled expression

"Ugh! Yucky!" Rei smiled, and turned back towards his old friends.

"It's been a while, hasn't it? How's…St: Petersburg? Right? Treating you?"

"It's alright…we're moving back to Japan in a couple of months, so well…won't be home for that much longer."

"Oh. Kinomya jii-san?"

Brooklyn nodded, Hitoshi having walked off to pick up his children from the playhouse in the mall they were in. "We both miss Japan, even though I never lived there. Hito wants to be closer to where he came from, and frankly I'm a bit tired of St: Petersburg. The old man is getting old, too."

Sasha frowned, hand tickling Rei's cheek gently. "Papa…me and Misha not marry then?"

"Hm? Do you like him?" The child nodded, petting Rei's hair. "Very, very much?"

"Da. This much!" Sasha flung his arms out, showing his papa just how much.

"Wow. That's a lot, tiger." He nodded, smiling proudly.

"We marry then?"

Rei pursed his lips, flicking his son's nose. "Hm…I don't know. Does he like you?"

"Yes, yes! He saided so! We promised!"

"Maybe."

"Papa!" Rei grinned.

"Alright then." Sasha squealed, and kissed Rei's face repeatedly. Someone gasped playfully behind them.

"What's this? Is my little mischievous tiger trying to steal my husband?" Sasha squealed again.

"Daddy! Uh-huh! I have other husband!" The older Hiwatari gasped again.

"Oh no! Someone stole my little tiger!"

The child giggled, nodding. "Who might that be?"

"Misha!" Kai laughed, and took Sasha from Rei's arms.

"Is that so? Who told you, you could do that?"

"Papa saided I could."

"Said, tiger, not saided."

"Yes. Papa said I could." Kai mock glared at his husband, who smiled innocently. "You don't want me to?"

"Maybe."

Sasha pulled at his daddy's bangs, frustrated. "Not maybe! I like Misha, Misha like me, so we marry!" Face neutral, Kai gently pulled his son's hands away from his hair.

"No, Sasha. Maybe is right. You're both still young. If you still want to when you're older, then it's alright. Okay?" Pouting the child nodded. "Don't be sad, Sasha, you can still pretend you're married, right?"

"Really?" Sasha raised his head, gazing hopefully at Kai. "Yeah, Yuriy and I always pretended we were married." Kai saw his son open his mouth to protest, and quickly added. "But then Yuriy met Boris, and left me all alone…"

"And you metted papa!"

"Yes, and we got married instead, and had you and your sisters." A familiar voice broke in.

"And those sisters are hungry, so papa strongly suggests that daddy puts Sasha down on the ground and assists papa to feed them."

Brooklyn and Sasha laughed. Kai grumbled playfully at his husband's commanding tone, and set Sasha down on the ground. He nodded in greeting to Brooklyn, seeing him for the first time, and accepted the toddler Rei handed him with a small grin. "Hey angel, you hungry?"

"Da! Jin hungwy, daddy." Kai smiled, and accepted the can of baby food from Rei.

* * *

_17/06 2010, late morning._

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this!" Kai hissed in Rei's ear to avoid the children from hearing.

"I know! I can't believe you let me!" Rei whispered back, just as frantic.

They were walking the halls of the BBA-building located in central Moscow, following the directions the receptionist gave them, where at the end, she had assured, they would find the day care centre, as per usual.

"My grandfather _knows!_"

"_What?_" Kai glanced at their children at Rei's not so quiet exclamation, they seemed not to have noticed though. Jin and Lei were sitting up in their baby carriage cooing and purring to each other, and Sasha was skipping along, face scrunched up in concentration as he tried to only step on the white tiles, and jump over the blue ones.

"I know! He called this morning, said that _this_ had better be a joke, and then he hung up!"

"You think he'll come?"

"He _owns_ the Russian branch, so I really don't know. It's not like he needs an invitation!" Kai glanced at his daughters again. "Is that normal? Their…behaviour?"

Rei took in his daughters, the way they seemed to _understand_ each other by just purring, meowing and make small, odd coos. Now that he thought about it…"They never use word when they play or interact, do they?"

"Noo…I've never seen them actually talk."

"Hmm…" Rei cocked his head, then he started to purr as well. The twins looked up at Rei, curious, then started to purr along with their papa's deeper purr, even Sasha started to purr softly unconsciously as he played his jump-on-the-white-tiles game. Rei smiled, and then stopped, as did Sasha without noticing. "They're kittens Kai."

"Honey, they're humans, not fur balls." Rei glared patiently at his sometimes dim mate, who patiently glared back.

"I'm a neko-jin, my children are neko-jin. Sasha is, just not as much behaviour wise. Jin and Lei, it would seem, inherited more than their fare share." Kai still looked clueless, glaring. "They behave like full blood neko-jin children would. The cat within is stronger the younger you are, and by the time they're twelve they should act like any other child, if my memory serves me correct."

"What do you mean?" Rei flushed.

"Well…I stopped chasing strings and jump moving objects at that age and focused more on 'blading and 'normal' playing. Beyblading is a bit hard when the first instinct you have at the sight of a spinning object is to attack. When you're more focused on whether or not it's the right time to jump the spinning thing and see if it's edible, you know?" Kai laughed.

"What I wouldn't have given to see that…no wonder you're all- Ah! Sasha?" Their oldest child chose that moment to swing around Kai, using his leg as support, and landed his daddy's shoes, somehow managing to still face forward. "No more whites! It's aaaall blue!"

"You'll have to walk on it, Sasha."

"No! The evil blue will eat you!" Kai and Rei exchanged an amused glance.

"No, the blue won't eat you. Blue is pretty, besides, the playhouse is right here, inside the blueness." Before Sasha could protest, a gleeful voice's shouting penetrated the air.

"Sasha! Sasha!" Sasha gasped, and jumped off Kai's shoes.

"Misha!" Rei grabbed Sasha before he could run off to his friend, much to the young child's annoyance. "Papa! Misha in there, have to go!"

"In a minute, we have to tell the nice lady first, remember?" Petulantly, Sasha nodded. Rei smiled to the elderly lady, standing just inside the door with a notebook.

"Good day Mr. Hiwatari, welcome back Sasha." Sasha waved, still looking over to where his friend was standing impatiently.

"Hello, Mrs. Ivanova. I don't know how long this time. I don't know if you heard, but someone requested a reunion."

The old lady nodded knowingly. "Yes, Mr. Kuznetsov informed me when they were in here to drop Mishka and Mara off fifteen minutes ago or so." Rei smiled, and waved at Kai to hurry up, Kai glared, struggling slightly with carrying two rebellious two year olds. "So all three of them, then. They still nap two hours or so?"

"Yeah, and Sasha only does if he's tired, just for thirty minutes though, but with Mishka here he'll only sleep if he does so, well¸ you know." She nodded, and put aside the notebook where three Hiwatari children were now listed. "About Jin and Lei…they're like that all the time, don't worry." Mrs. Ivanova smiled.

"Alright, I'll see you later then?" Rei nodded, and helped Kai by taking Jin and putting her in the playpen, where Mara already was, and they were soon accompanied by Lei.

"Yes, hopefully before midnight." Kai winked at Mrs. Ivanova, who shook her head.

"Sasha!" Rei called out softly, and waved at him. Sasha looked up, eyes widening. His parents stood by the door, ready to leave. He gasped, rushing over.

"Daddy! Papa!"

"Hey, tiger." Kai scooped up Sasha, hugging him and gave him a kiss.

"Daddy where you going?"

"To the meeting we told you about, remember?" Sasha nodded, hiding his head in the crook of Kai's neck.

"Not forget me?"

"Never. I promise. Daddy and I will be here to pick you up before you know it." Rei said, gently running his fingers through Sasha's hair. "So don't worry, and just play with Misha, alright?"

The child nodded, smiling hesitantly. "Come later?"

"Promise."

"Okay!" Sasha kissed Kai, then Rei. "Bye!"

"Bye, tiger." Kai put him down, and he sprinted over to Mishka again.

"Bye Sasha."

Turning, Rei intertwined his fingers with Kai's, and sighed softly. "I hate leaving them…I always fear that someone will kidnap them or there'll be bomb or-"

"I know…I know…"

They walked in silence from there on, with Rei a bit closer to Kai than normal, and Kai holding onto Rei's hand just a fraction tighter. The door to the conference room came into sight all too fast, even though their pace was slower than normal. The chaos and shouting from inside sounded out in the corridor, and it was with great apprehension that Kai opened the door.

The silence that greeted them was deafening, and it was very clear that the occupants in the room were divided in two different groups. One side held the Russian's, his friends. And Kiki, much to his surprise. They all looked, tired, hurt and resigned, but not surprised, and smiled warmly at Kai and Rei when they opened the door.

"_You._" Takao's disgusted growl cut through the silence.

It was a long night.

* * *

So. I learned. I learned... What do you think? R&R, please. 

Next: Years into the future. Oh boy...

Ta.


	7. Sayonara

Ah, it's short. But then, it wasn't ever supposed to be long. I borrowed a quote from Velvet goldmine, otherwise it's just beyblade and children.

Sayonara.

* * *

_2025, 29/08_

Rei sighed, letting his husband pull him close. "Do you think we should get another cat?" Kai kissed Rei's cheek, remaining silent for another few seconds.

"You're replacing our son with a cat?"

Rei turned around, eyes flashing. "It's too empty, Kai! He's supposed to be _here_! _Everyday_! Sleeping in _his_ bed, talking on the phone for hours and hours, helping me cook…" He looked away, biting his lip. "I miss him. He's not even gone yet, and I already miss him."

The Russian pulled him close again. "I know…I do too." Bending, he placed a kiss on the neko-jin's forehead. "Jin and Lei are still here, and he'll be too, on the weekends. Our children haven't all moved out, you know." Rei nodded, hearing the front door close, giggling voices coming closer.

There was an outrageous cry. "Dad! Papa!" Kai smirked, defiantly kissing his husband square on the mouth. Instantly, Lei was there to push them apart, Jin hovering just a few steps behind, her golden eyes sparkling with amusement. Rei laughed softly, kissing his oldest daughter's cheek, then Jin's, who shrugged away, wiping her cheek.

"Don't do that, papa."

Lei sniffed, grabbing hold of Rei's arm, and kissed his cheek. "If papa wants to, then he can, Jin." Kai snorted, sneaking up behind Jin, and placed a big wet one on her cheek.

"Dad!" He grinned, ruffling her hair.

"Papa wants a cat. What do you say?" Lei nodded instantly, her short hair flying in all directions. He tugged on Jin's braid.

"Alright, I don't really care."

Rei smiled, eyes twinkling happily. "Tomorrow?" Kai nodded.

"What's happening tomorrow?" A smooth, slightly husky voice, enquired.

Lei skipped over, letting go of Rei, hugging her brother tightly. "We're getting a kitten!" Sasha grinned, ruffling Jin's hair.

"Cool. I missed having Mishmash around."

Rei nodded, grabbing a hairbrush lying on the coffee table. "I think we all did." Pursing his lips, the short man walked up to his son, scrutinising his hair. Sasha eyed the brush in his papa's hand warily, gently releasing Jin. "Sit."

Sasha glanced at the brush, then down at the determined expression on Rei's face, and flopped down on the couch in true teenage style. Rei sat down behind him. "If you insist on having your hair that long, you have to take better care of it." Speaking sternly, yet softly, he gently dragged the brush through the dual coloured hair, reaching down to the small of his back.

"Yes papa." He rolled his eyes, purring quietly, and the twins giggled, while Kai just snorted, walking in to the kitchen, shortly followed by Jin and Lei, where the latter was whispering conspiringly about ice-cream and pineapples and the former rolled her eyes.

"Papa?" Rei hummed, taking notice of the distress underlining his son's tone.

"Yes, tiger?" He could feel Sasha take a deep breath, before speaking in a hurried whisper.

"I-I think I'm gay."

The hairbrush in Rei's hand stilled for a millisecond, then resumed its actions. "I know." The lithe body relaxed, and he turned around, mottled red and golden eyes shimmering. Smiling gently, understandingly, Rei pulled his son into a hug, purring reassuringly. "It's alright." The head nestled in the crook of his neck nodded, sighing heavily. "When will I meet him?"

Sasha tensed, then laughed lightly, relaxing. "He dumped me, so you won't." Rei tutted, rubbing Sasha's back and pulling him closer. "It's alright. H-He only wanted me because of my looks, anyway…and you and dad."

"Creep." His son agreed, nodding again. "He said that he wanted to brag about me, your fame. That he'd slept with a Hiwatari, and when I wouldn't, he dumped me."

"Who dumped you?" Kai questioned, moving over to sit on the couch as well, having overheard the last two words. Sasha answered without thinking.

"Dimitri."

Kai's eyebrows rose, and Rei nodded subtly, glaring threateningly. "Oh."

"Dad!" The teen sat up abruptly, still in his papa's lap, blushing and stammering. "I-I, uh, he, he's an idiot!" He wiped his eyes. "I hate him! Misha said he was a jerk!" Sasha wiped his eyes when more tears threatened to fall. "Why am I crying?" He latched himself back onto Rei. "P-Papa!"

Kai blinked, silently watching his husband comfort their son. Their dumped _gay_ son. He rose, walking back out to the kitchen.

Sniffling, Sasha wiped his eyes, looking up from Rei's chest. Rei smiled gently. "Feel better?" The teen nodded, resting his head against his papa's shoulder, looking around, he noticed they were the only occupants of the room.

"Papa? Where's dad?"

"In the kitchen."

"…is he mad at me?" Rei chuckled, wiping Sasha's face. "Of course not, he loves you." A hand ruffled his hair, and Sasha looked up, seeing his dad stare down at him. "Daddy, I-"

"Shh, I know." Kai nodded, sitting down and hugged his son, before holding out a bar of chocolate. "It's supposed to help, but I've never been dumped, so I wouldn't know."

Rei cried out, grabbing the chocolate and unwrapping it, giving it to Sasha, huffing. "Of course it helps."

Sasha sniffed, grinning weakly. "Thanks. Misha was planning on coddling me later, said everyone needed to be hugged, eat ice-cream and watch a sappy movie."

Kai chuckled. "Sometimes I worry about that kid." Sasha frowned mockingly, sarcastic, swallowing the chocolate.

"You're saying boys _don't_ always wear skirts and nail varnish?" He broke off a square, nibbling on it, deep in thought. "I think he said Velvet goldmine actually…something about rock 'n roll and prostitutes and glitter…"

There was a loud gasp, and a slender redhead strutted over, high ponytail swishing from side to side, carefully arranged bangs hanging haphazardly in his face, pointing accusingly at the chocolate in Sasha's lap. "You started without me!" The redhead placed a hand on cocked, slim hips making the mid-shin skirt rustle. "Cheater."

Lei pranced in after the now pouting boy, giggling. "Saaashaa! Misha's here!"

Kai grumbled, rising. "We noticed, Lei." A sharp, manicured finger jabbed him in the chest, Kai raised an eyebrow, staring into narrowed kohl lined eyes.

"Really, uncle, no need to sound so, so _old_." He winked, doing a pirouette. Rock and roll _is_ a prostitute. It should be tarted up, performed." Grabbing Sasha by the arm, he stuck his tongue out, before kissing his lifelong friend on the cheek. Then he skipped away into Sasha's room, the owner of it wiping his cheek before following at a more leisure pace, thoughtful expression on his face.

"We let _our_ son escort _him_ to their graduation ball?" Rei nodded, smiling proudly.

"Yeah. He was absolutely radiating in that dress. So beautiful."

"Uh-huh." The Russian stared after his son, contemplating.

"No, Kai." Kai twirled around, eyebrow still raised. Rei shook his head, standing. "We're _not_ telling them to open the door."

**The end.

* * *

**

It's a little bit funny how this whole fic got out of hand. Well, at least I know what I _shouldn't_ do again. Failure makes progress, and all that.

Thanks to those who reviewed, it brought a smile to my face more often than not.

Ta.


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